As well as flexible working and special leave options other forms of workplace support can make a real difference to carers and help them remain in work. 

Examples of such support include publicising workplace policies on the intranet or in handbooks, employee assistance programmes and health and wellbeing schemes and setting up in-house networking groups to provide peer support.

Other forms of practical support which are valued by carers often include quite simple things such as access to a private telephone and car parking close to the workplace to make getting into and out of work quicker and easier.

“I have access to a telephone, so if I leave Mum in the morning and she is depressed or unwell, I can call her through the day. I can go somewhere private and have a chat with her without having to worry about what’s going to happen ‘til I get home.”

 Smaller businesses also find that just being open and flexible goes a long way to support carers and multi-skilling, good communication and team working provide effective cover if carers have unexpected emergencies.

Top of the list of carers’ needs is often information and advice on how to get help with their caring role. Some organisations offer such in-house support to carers including signposting them to information about services to support the person they look after. 

Examples of other flexible benefits could include disability or healthcare insurance and childcare or care vouchers.

If your organisation doesn’t have some of these employee benefits and you would be interested in finding out more about how to develop new policies or networks Employers for Carers may be able to help. More information about how we can help can be viewed here.

Signposting to external support for carers

Employers can play a valuable role in signposting carers in their workforce to external sources of support. There are a number of external organisations that provide practical support, advice and information for carers. These include:

• Carers UK
• ACAS
• BEIS
• Business Link
• Working Families
• Jobcentre Plus
• Government information for carers
• NHS carers information

Employers can play an important role in signposting carers to these sources of help. For example, some employers provide a basic information pack for their employees with caring responsibilities about how and where to get help. Other employers provide such information for all their new employees. This practice is helpful as it means that the employer is not just relying on their employees to identify themselves as carers and ask for help, but that they are reaching all potential carers in their workforce.

Good practice points

Employers for Carers regularly conduct research surveys from which we curate good practice points that show key areas of carer support that our EfC members are providing in their workplace.

• Supporting carer health and wellbeing in the workplace – good practice points
• Supporting working carers in COVID-19: Response and reflections – good practice points
• Supporting working carers in COVID-19: Recovery and return – good practice points
• The Role of Carer Champions in the Workplace – good practice points

Caring and employment journey maps

Employers for Carers have created two maps representing the caring and employment journey. The caring journey map focuses on the different stages of caring and significant transitions that carers may endure and the employment journey map focuses on the opportunities that employers/line managers/HR can use to support carers throughout their working life.

Download: The caring journey
Download: The employment journey

Example: London Borough of Islington 

Islington Council have introduced a range of policies and provision for employees who are carers. As well as flexible working arrangements and special leave, support for carers in the workplace includes:

• Workplace sessions for line managers and staff on caring issues
• Induction and equalities training which acknowledges carers, explains their rights and signposts them to help.
• Access to training (as part of employees’ 5 day training allowance per year) which can be related to work or to other activities relevant to caring (e.g. first aid, manual handling, mental health).
• Pledging, promoting and implementing support for carers as part of annual Carers Week in June 
• A Carers Staff Forum, established by a Carers Commissioner, which is open to all Council staff and the Council’s NHS partners. (This is one of a number of staff forums which have been established to support and encourage networking between staff with shared interests, ensure they have a voice and that their interests are represented.)
• Employee Assistance Programme which offers round the clock, free, confidential help including emotional support, stress management and advice on family issues.  It includes counselling and resources to help employees and their families with whatever issues they may face, both at work and in their personal lives. 
• Occupational health; managers can refer employees to a nurse or doctor if an employee feels they are struggling with work commitments or have sickness absence due to caring responsibilities.
• Signposting to support both inside and outside the workplace through the local Islington Carers Hub service which offers a one-stop-shop for all carer advice, information and support. 
• Flexible retirement for members aged 55 or over who, with the Council’s consent, may reduce their hours or grade.