Care more for working carers to reduce sick leave

Despite a quarter of organisations introducing paid carer’s leave, lack of support for the practical and emotional toll of caring is still driving up absence.

Millions of workers across the UK are increasingly struggling with the strain of juggling work with caring for elderly or disabled relatives and children, with one in two employees using sick days to look after loved ones.

In some cases, employees who work as carers are being signed off work as too sick to work. because they’ve become disabled by proxy, meaning they themselves are fit to work, but are unable to do so due to the scale of their caring duties.

For others, the emotional strain of looking after a sick or dying relative, or lack of time to attend their own medical needs, has genuinely made them sick. Fortunately, as our clinical team explains, there are several ways employer can help to keep carers healthy and in work.

Five ways to support carers to stay in work

1. Acknowledge the problem

Even though almost one in ten employees (9%) are carers, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), two thirds of employers do not have any kind of formal or informal policy in place to support working carers.

Despite the Carer’s Leave Act being introduced in 2023, to give carers the right to one week of unpaid leave a year, three quarters (76%) of employers have not raised awareness or providing training to managers about the act. Even though managers have a vital role to play when it comes to providing support to employees.

As a result, far too many employees feel like they have to hide their caring responsibilities, meaning they are more likely to call in sick when they have to deal with an emergency, such as an elderly relative having to go into hospital after a fall. Or miss their own medical checks and appointments to make up time, instead of reaching out to their employer for support.

2. Take stock of the strain being placed on individuals

Critical to supporting employers to stay healthy and in work is recognising the strain they might be under. The HSE management standards highlight the importance of looking at the demands on an individual, in terms of their workload and working hours and environment, but all demands on an individual need to be considered.

Critical to supporting employees is helping them to change their habits and think about what else they can do, whether that’s going on a short brisk walk instead of taking a cigarette break or snacking on a vegetable stick or lolly pop, instead of putting their vape in their mouth.

Without asking employees about pressure, they’re under outside of work, most managers will be totally oblivious to the struggle a carer has gone through simply to get themselves into work. It’s therefore vital that managers take the time to talk to employees, one on one, about what pressures they’re under outside of work, so they can work with them to alleviate this.

3. Consider reasonable adjustments

The impact of juggling work and care duties is not to be underestimated, with 40% of carers saying they had to give up work completely. The strain of caring can also make carers sick themselves, with people being referred into Occupational Health due to sickness because they hadn’t had time to get their diabetes prescription due to lack of time caused by caring.

To help carers stay health and in work and avoid the stress that can make them too sick to work, it’s worth referring them into support services sooner rather than later. Talking to someone about their situation can be hugely beneficial, potentially helping them to see what has to give and the need to call on other family members for support.

The advisor can also advise on reasonable adjustments that could be put in place to help them stay in work. For example, a reduction in their hours, later start time or chance to work on projects that allow them the flexibility to attend hospital appointments during working hours, when other people are caring for their loved one.

4. Signpost into existing support services

One of the most difficult things about carers feeling like they have to struggle on alone is that their employer may already have support services in place that can help. As well as providing legal and financial advice, Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs), for example, often also include eldercare support services and emotional counselling that can be used to help employees identify ways to reduce the strain they’re under.

Many employers can also connect employees with a local carers network, or other support group. They maybe even want to consider starting a carers networking group for all their carers to be able to come together to share advice, moral support and their experiences.

Their elderly relative might be entitled to have a professional carer help them get dressed and fed each day, that the employee didn’t know about. Or the employee might be entitled to a carer allowance, subject to eligibility, that would allow them to pay for a cleaner to help lighten the burden. All of which shows the importance of making sure employees know what carers support is in place and how to access it.

5. Put a formal policy in place to support carers

Perhaps the most important thing an employer can do is to put in place a formal policy for carers to make sure they know how they will be treated if they admit they need help. This should set out why the employer wants to help carers. For example, its commitment to keeping skilled people in work, being an equal employer and helping carers avoid pay gaps.

A process for raising a request for support with their manager, HR or a carers champion should be included, so they have various people they can approach if they don’t have a great relationship with their manager.

The policy should also outline what the company can and can’t offer in the way of reasonable adjustments and whether it just offers the statutory five days of unpaid leave, under the Carers Leave Act, or additional paid carers leave. The overall aim being to be as open and transparent about what support is in place, so employees feel safe asking for this. All of which will help to create a culture where carers feel cared for.

Free guide to writing a carers policy

Download our free guide to writing a carers policy to show employees you care about the impact of their care responsibilities on their wellbeing.

How can PAM Group help?

PAM OH Solutions timely access to occupational health professionals who can support the employee to better manage the overall strain being placed on them and identify reasonable adjustments that could be put in place to prevent them from going off sick/quitting.

Workshops & Webinars training for employees on the impact of caring on wellbeing, how to build resilience, still make time for self-care and understand what support their employer has in place. With separate workshops for managers on how best to support carers.

Workforce Planning consultancy service to understand the likely impact of care duties on the ability of employees to attend and perform at work. Plus insight on proactive steps that can be taken to mitigate this and support people to stay in work.

PAM Wellness (EAP) Round-the-clock access to clinical and professional advisors, who can provide emotional counselling and support with childcare, eldercare and other relationship and financial or debt issues.

If you would like to discuss the opportunities for better supporting carers at your organisation, please email us to set up a free consultation at info@pamgroup.co.uk