Are employers supporting carers in the workplace?
Across many workplaces, there is growing recognition that carers make up a significant – and often hidden – part of the workforce, reports the latest survey by Employers for Carers.
EfC is a UK organisation providing advice to help employers support carers in the workplace, and aims to influence government and employment policy to create a supportive working culture.
What does it mean to be a carer?
According to the EfC’s latest survey of employers, almost all organisations now have a clear definition of what it means to be a carer, signalling an important first step in acknowledging caring responsibilities at work.
However, turning that recognition into action remains uneven. While carers may be defined on paper, only around six in ten organisations have a clear process in place to help employees identify themselves as carers, meaning many continue to go unnoticed and unsupported.
Impact of caring on the organisation
Employers are increasingly aware of the wider impact caring responsibilities can have on their organisations. Most recognise that poor health and wellbeing among carers can lead to higher levels of stress, sickness absence and reduced productivity.
Nearly half have already seen evidence of this through feedback from carers themselves, who report higher stress levels and lower wellbeing.
Yet, despite this awareness, many organisations are not systematically gathering data or feedback, leaving more than half without a clear picture of how carers are really coping.
Supporting health and wellbeing
Support for carers’ health and wellbeing is another area where progress is mixed. Just under half of organisations offer support specifically tailored to carers, while a similar proportion do not yet have anything in place.
Encouragingly, around half involve carers directly when designing health and wellbeing initiatives, helping to ensure that support is relevant and practical rather than one-size-fits-all.
Effectiveness of policies
Some employers are also beginning to track how policies are used in practice. Around six in ten monitor how much carers’ leave – whether paid or unpaid – is being taken, and a similar number review the take-up of general wellbeing support. This kind of monitoring helps organisations understand whether their policies are accessible or whether carers still face barriers to using them.
Role of line managers
Line managers play a crucial role in day-to-day support, and just over half of organisations provide training to help managers understand caring responsibilities and spot when someone may need support.
However, a significant minority still leave managers without guidance, which can result in inconsistent or unintended responses.
Equality, diversity and inclusion
Carers are also increasingly being recognised within wider equality, diversity and inclusion strategies, with more than half of organisations explicitly including caring responsibilities in their policies.
A positive outlook
Looking ahead, there is a strong appetite to do more. Three quarters of organisations say they would welcome practical tools they can share with employees who have caring responsibilities, to help promote better health and wellbeing.
Taken together, the picture is one of growing awareness and intent, alongside clear opportunities to strengthen how carers are identified, supported and included at work.
You may find these articles of interest:
- Working, caring and menopause too
- Building a business care for carer support at work
- How to request flexible working hours in the UK