In the past few years, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion initiatives (DEI) have been at the forefront of nearly every organisation. However, one group has often been overlooked: the working carers.
Recent research revealed that a third (33%) of companies were completely unaware of the challenges their employees face in caring for family members. Even more alarming is the fact that 85% do not provide any support to employees who work as caregivers. Only 1 in 5 businesses are aware of these challenges.
Carers UK estimate that 7,7 million people are juggling work and care responsibilities in the UK. Caregiving is largely ignored in DEI discussions at work, despite its prevalence. As a result, UK companies are blindly walking into a crisis of working carers.
Working carer crisis
Many caregivers are isolated at work and hide their caregiving duties from co-workers. The fear of being judged for not speaking up is the main reason why caregivers are reluctant to share their caregiving duties. They worry that it could affect their career or indicate a lack commitment. Adult caregiving, unlike milestones for parents, is stigmatized or misunderstood. It’s an isolating and quiet journey for many employees. Most conversations in the workplace about “family support” are focused on expecting or new parents.
This invisibility naturally leads to a lack support and understanding. Caregivers often face ‘compassion exhaustion’, which is a common phenomenon for family caregivers, where emotional and physical demands contribute to burnout. This withdrawal and burnout will have serious consequences for any business. Employees may disengage from their workplace, increase absenteeism or reduce productivity.
UK businesses have already begun to feel the effects of working carers’ challenges. Recently, 50% of HR leaders reported that the caregiving responsibilities their employees had impacted their organization. Carers UK estimates that UK businesses are losing PS8.1 billion per year because of absenteeism and productivity losses caused by employee caregiving.
HR initiatives to support carers
Supporting working carers, especially in industries with employees who have decades of experience, and are difficult to replace, is crucial for retaining talent. It’s not only about retaining talent. Caregiving is a major challenge for women, and addressing it will help improve gender equality at work. Census 2021 shows 59% of the unpaid caregivers are women. Research also shows that women are more than four times as likely to reduce their hours or quit to care for others, which can further complicate gender equality. Women are also five to eight time more likely to be affected by a disruption in employment due to caring for others than men. Addressing caregiving during DEI discussions can help reduce gender disparities and promote career advancement among women.
A growing awareness of the caregiving issue among UK HR leaders is encouraging many businesses to make changes. 82% of HR executives agree that providing adult caregiver support would have a positive impact on employee retention and engagement. This is a step in the right direction for future gender equality at work by keeping women in the workforce. With 71% of HR Leaders wanting to improve or introduce caregiver leave policies in their organization in the next 12-24 month, it is likely that these much needed changes will come sooner than later.
Employers can help caregivers
Recent developments in UK law highlight the increasing recognition of caring as a workplace issue. The Carer’s Leave Act which became law in April 2024 gives carers more rights and lays the foundation for employers to develop supportive policies.
Recognising that caregiving is an issue of DEI for employers who want to support caregivers within their workforce is an important first step. Organisations can discover if their employees are working carers by conducting surveys. Businesses need to be aware that some working carers don’t identify as “carers” or “caregiver”, and so it may not be easy for them to identify who is a caregiver.
Businesses should also establish caregiver networks for their employees. This network must be separate from the new family or young parents’ network. Adult caregiving is a very nuanced and different topic that deserves its own group. This is especially true when discussing grief and how to balance the mental burden of caring for others. These groups are also a good fit for the creation of caregiver allies, like those that we see with Mental Health First Responders.
It is a no-brainer that caregiver-friendly policies will be implemented and promoted. Most HR departments are updating policies to include carers. But are employees aware? It is important to raise awareness about the flexible policies available, and also the comprehensive employee benefits that are geared specifically towards caregivers. These benefits can be used to help people at every stage of the care journey. They include practical help, such as accessing untapped funding and care assessments, or advice on how to reduce care chaos.
Changes in the workplace
It is essential that HR leaders, and businesses as a whole, include caregivers into DEI initiatives. As the workforce grows older and more employees assume caregiving duties it is important for them to do so. Employers can improve employee wellbeing, productivity, retention and workplace inclusion by recognizing and supporting this group. It’s not just good for the employees, but also for business to support carers. Caregiving is a priority for DEI, and it ensures that everyone in the workplace can thrive regardless of their outside responsibilities.
