Working Carers
According to the 2011 census, 3 million people in the UK currently combine work and care – approximately 1 in 9 people – and this is set to rise due to:
- Changes to state pension age
- An ageing population – the number of centenarians in the population is expected to rise by 40% by 2020
- The reduced availability of social care support and provision.
Many carers, known as “sandwich carers”, will be supporting both children and elderly relatives.
Carers UK’s Caring and Family Finances Inquiry showed that 2.3 million people in the UK have given up work at some point due to their caring role, with 3 million having reduced their working hours.
As the number of carers grows, the impact in the workplace will be felt more widely.
Why Supporting Carers Makes Business Sense
Businesses risk the loss of key experienced and talented staff as they struggle to balance their role at work with their life as a carer. The 2011 census indicates that the ‘peak age’ for unpaid caring is between 50-64. This is at a point in a person’s career when they will have developed valuable skills, knowledge and experience and will likely be making a strong contribution to the workplace. This may lead to increased absenteeism and/or sickness, poor time-keeping and reduced productivity.
Research shows that policies and working practices aimed at supporting carers will:
- Reduce employee turnover, reduce absenteeism and sickness and improve rates of return on investment in trained and experienced employees
- Help to attract and maintain an employee pool, protect a company’s skills base and assist in managing output and performance across a business
- Enhance employee motivation, improve morale, loyalty and reduce levels of employee stress
