Caring for Mum and Dad: Boosting UK Employees’ Wellbeing!===
In the hustle and bustle of modern life, many UK employees find themselves caught in a juggling act between their demanding jobs and caring for their ageing parents. However, employers can play a significant role in boosting their employees’ wellbeing by providing caregiver support. This article explores the importance of finding balance and empowering employees to ensure both their work and caring responsibilities are met with ease and joy!
Juggling Act: Finding Balance between Work and Caring for Mum and Dad!
Caring for ageing parents while trying to excel in the workplace can feel like a daunting juggling act. However, striking a healthy balance between these two vital aspects of life is crucial for maintaining overall wellbeing. Employers can step in and create a supportive environment that allows employees to fulfill their caregiving responsibilities without sacrificing their professional growth.
Flexible work arrangements, such as telecommuting or flexible hours, can be a game-changer. This gives employees the freedom to be physically present when needed to care for Mum and Dad, while still meeting work demands. Transparent communication with managers and colleagues is also essential. Encouraging open conversations about caregiving challenges fosters empathy, understanding, and creative solutions. By acknowledging and accommodating employees’ caregiving responsibilities, employers can help alleviate stress and enhance their overall happiness.
Empowering Employees: Unleashing Wellbeing with Caregiver Support!
Empowering employees to navigate the demanding role of a caregiver not only boosts their wellbeing but also enhances their productivity and job satisfaction. Employers can provide caregiver support programs that offer valuable resources, training, and guidance. These programs can include workshops on managing stress, navigating healthcare systems, and accessing community support networks.
Furthermore, offering employee assistance programs (EAPs) that provide counselling services or referrals to caregiving support groups can make a world of difference. Recognizing the emotional toll of caregiving and providing a safe space for employees to express their concerns can relieve burdens and promote mental well-being. Employers can also partner with local organizations to offer discounted or subsidized respite care services, allowing employees to take much-needed breaks and recharge.
Empowering Employees Towards a Balanced Life===
Caring for Mum and Dad while excelling in the workplace may seem like an arduous task, but with the right support, it can be a fulfilling journey. By creating a work environment that values and supports employees’ caregiving responsibilities, employers can enhance their employees’ overall wellbeing and job satisfaction. Striking a balance between work and caregiving is not only essential for employees but also benefits businesses through increased loyalty, engagement, and productivity. So let’s empower and uplift our employees, ensuring they have the tools and support to care for Mum and Dad while thriving in their professional lives!
Communication is key
In HR and in health and social care successful interactions are built on mutual trust, respect and confidentiality. Ubiqu
itous principles that enhance communication are:
- Correct body language (when face to face)
- Active listening
- Expressed empathy
- Checking understanding
- Shared decision making
Think about your communication strategy within your organisation and how this relates to supporting employees who are carers.
- How should we communicate with our employees who are carers?
- What communication techniques should we use to achieve our goal of supporting employees who are carers?
- How do we reach employees who are carers and make our messaging clear?
- How can we make our messaging effective?
- What indicators should we track to evaluate our communication strategy?
Carers Leave Act 2023
Carers Leave Act 2023 gained Royal Assent on May 24, 2023. Once implemented, employees with caring obligations will be entitled to a week of unpaid leave every year to care for their dependent(s).
Employees must meet the eligibility criteria:
- An employee with a dependent who is considered a spouse, civil partner, child or, parent
- An employee with a dependent who lives in the same household, except for tenants, lodgers, and borders
- An employee who is relied upon to provide or arrange care for a dependent with a long-term care need
Carers can take a week of unpaid leave to care for a long-term care dependent under the 2023 law. This can be taken in five-day blocks, half-days, or individually.
Unpaid carers who work must use parental or yearly leave to care for their children.
The new Act encourages employers to consider adding a “Carers Leave” policy to their employee handbooks and accept unpaid leave requests from carers.
Care for a spouse, civil partner, kid, parent, someone living in the same household, or someone who reasonably relies on the employee is covered by the leave.
The Act
- Provides unpaid leave to 2 million carers.
- Encourages employers to consider their carers and implement carer policies for the first time.
- Encourages forward-thinking firms to go beyond the law and offer Paid Carer’s Leave as an attractive employee benefit to stay ahead in recruitment.
How does this differ from current legislation?
Parents currently have the entitlement to 18 weeks of unpaid parental leave for any child under the age of 18. There is, however, no statutory right to any additional unpaid leave to care for other dependents.
The Care Act 2014
Under the Care Act, you are entitled to a carer’s assessment where you appear to have needs for support. You will be entitled to this support if you meet the national eligibility criteria.
Carers (Recognition and Services) Act 1995
This Act is for adults who are not parents of disabled children but have a right to an assessment. This could be a grandparent or an older sibling caring for a disabled child, for example.
Employment Act 1996 and the Work and Families Act 2006
These laws give carers limited rights to emergency unpaid time off and the right to request flexible working.
Equality Act 2010
This includes protection for carers (who look after someone with a disability) from discrimination and harassment in the workplace and in services.
The Health and Care Act 2022 and caring for someone who’s coming out of hospital
This legislation reinforces carers’ rights when it comes to hospital discharge. If someone is likely to need ongoing care and support after they leave hospital, NHS trusts and foundation trusts have a duty, where appropriate, to involve patients and carers (including young carers) at the earliest opportunity in decisions and plans around their ongoing care needs.
Founder of Healthacate and Home Visit Healthcare| Geri-GP | Senior Lecturer @ University of Worcester
0 Comments