Employees who are caregivers often worry that they’re not doing enough in either role. It can feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day to manage work and caring, let alone have time for everything else.
Coordinating friends, family, and paid caregivers - plus any medical appointments, social care assessments, welfare benefits, and potentially running an entirely separate household - is a lot to take on.
“Employers can help to relieve this burden.”
At an organisational level, employers can be proactive by implementing carer-friendly practices such as flexible hours & location, and caregiving policies. Not only do these approaches support caregivers on a practical level, but they also help them feel seen and valued.
However, employers often aren’t aware that they have employees with caring responsibilities.
“Why do so many people hide caregiving from their employers?”
Working caregivers often talk about the stigma surrounding caregiving. They may require more flexibility or support than other employees which might lead to unfounded concerns regarding their performance. Likewise, if an employee is supporting someone with a progressive condition, they may worry that caregiving will take over and prevent them from being able to commit to or cope at work.
Most caregivers are women. Studies have shown women opt to work part-time to accommodate caring commitments while men do so because they've been unable to secure full-time employment. While legislation exists to prevent less favourable treatment of part-time workers, a pay gap still exists, and career progression is hindered by working part-time.
“A significant reason for non-disclosure stems from concern that they will be viewed as less able to go ‘above and beyond’.”
They fear they won’t have the opportunity to take on new responsibilities or develop their role as it might be considered too much for them to take on. While most people value being able to bring their ‘full selves’ to work, as a caregiver this can lead to negative or limiting assumptions being made about them.
Sometimes continuing to work while caring isn’t possible, and some people find that career breaks are required to fulfil the needs of their loved ones.
We often hear from those taking long periods of parental leave that they feel detached from the workplace, and the same can be said for caregivers who take long periods off.
“This can result in missed career opportunities and diminished confidence.”
Organisations need to start having honest conversations about caring. This sets the tone and ensures caregivers know they’ve been considered and their situation understood. Offering training to line managers can also help them feel confident discussing caring responsibilities which is an important part of this.
Regarding flexibility, caregivers may not be able to give as much notice or foresee how they will be affected daily. This means the standard formal request process might not meet their needs.
“Employers mustn’t make caregivers feel like they need to do all the organising to enable flexible arrangements, managers should be prepared to help.”
Finally, think very carefully about the factors contributing to career development in your organisation and how caregivers might be excluded. For example, out-of-hours events shouldn’t be the only way to unite the workforce.
The resilience, planning, and advocacy that caregivers develop should be valued for what they bring to the workplace.
