Could someone in your workplace be an unpaid carer without realising it?
Every workplace has people juggling responsibilities outside of their working day. But what if some of your colleagues are balancing their jobs with caring for someone they love, without even recognising themselves as an unpaid carer?
Across the UK, millions of people provide unpaid care for a family member, friend or neighbour who needs support because of an illness, disability, mental health condition, addiction or older age. Many of these people are also in paid employment, balancing their caring responsibilities alongside their careers.
Yet not everyone who provides care identifies as a carer. This means there could be people in your workplace who are missing out on valuable information, practical support and workplace rights, simply because they don’t realise these are available to them.
Caring comes in many different forms, and it isn’t always easy to recognise.
An unpaid carer might be someone who:
- Regularly checks in on an older parent and helps them with shopping, meals or household tasks.
- Supports a partner living with a long-term health condition or disability.
- Helps a family member manage medication, appointments or finances.
- Provides emotional support to someone experiencing mental health difficulties.
- Cares for a disabled child or young person alongside their parenting responsibilities.
- Coordinates care and support for a relative, even if they don’t live together.
Balancing paid employment with unpaid caring can be challenging.
A working carer might start their day helping someone get washed and dressed before heading to work. They may spend their lunch break arranging medical appointments, making phone calls or checking that everything is okay at home.
After finishing work, they might collect prescriptions, prepare meals or provide emotional and practical support.
The next day it starts all over again.
For some, this extra mental and physical load can affect their sleep, physical health, emotional wellbeing and ability to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Some people may be reluctant to talk about their situation because they worry about being treated differently, appearing less committed to their job or placing additional pressure on their colleagues.
While others might not even realise that their circumstances are something they can discuss with their employer.
That’s why creating a workplace where carers feel recognised, understood and supported is so important.
Identifying as an unpaid carer can be an important first step towards accessing support and knowing your rights. For more information about carers rights, read our blog here.
For employers, recognising working carers can also make a real difference.
When employees feel supported to balance work and caring responsibilities, they may be better able to manage stress, maintain their wellbeing and remain in employment.
Making a difference doesn’t always require big changes.
1. Start conversations about unpaid care
Raise awareness of what it means to be an unpaid carer through staff newsletters, team meetings, wellbeing campaigns and internal communications. Sharing everyday examples of caring responsibilities can help employees recognise themselves in the description.
2. Create a culture of understanding
Make it clear that employees can talk about their caring responsibilities without fear of judgement or negative consequences. Managers should be approachable, listen with empathy and respect employees’ privacy.
3. Make workplace rights and policies accessible
Ensure employees know about carer’s leave, flexible working, time off for dependants and any additional support available through their organisation. Having a clear carers policy can make it easier for staff to understand their options.
4. Offer flexibility where possible
Small adjustments, such as flexible start times, adjusted working patterns or time to attend appointments, can make a significant difference to someone balancing work and care.
Employers don’t need to have all the answers. Sometimes, simply helping someone find the right support is an important first step.
So, the next time you think about wellbeing in your workplace, ask yourself: could someone on your team be an unpaid carer without even realising it?
If you’re balancing work with caring responsibilities, or you’re an employer looking to better support unpaid carers in your workplace, get in touch with us to find out how we can help.
0191 2496480