Five top tips to be a carer friendly employer

Recruitment challenges are at record levels as three out of four companies struggle to hire staff.

You may not realise it but as a business it’s likely you employ someone who is a family or friend carer. Estimates from employers for carers suggest that across the UK, 1 employee in every 7 provides care in addition to their work - and this figure is set to increase.

There are over 120,000 carers living in West Sussex. Many will be juggling the demands of work and caring at the same time. A carer is anyone, including children and adults who looks after a family member, partner or friend who needs help because of their illness, frailty, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction and cannot cope without their support. The care they give is unpaid.

As part of Carers Rights Day on 24 November, West Sussex County Council and its partner, Carers Support West Sussex have shared these five top tips for businesses to become a carer friendly employer.

• Tip 1 - Find out which employees may be caring for someone.
• Tip 2 - Provide information to your staff, such as the local carer service.
• Tip 3 - Nominate a carers contact or lead in the workplace.
• Tip 4 - Ask carers what will help them to successfully combine work and caring.
• Tip 5 - Adopt small but important staffing policies such as:
  • allowing carers to leave mobile telephones on in meetings in case of emergencies
  • flexible start and finish times to help people deal with caring commitments before and after work
  • allowing carers time and access to a phone to check on the person they care for from time to time while working.

By recognising carers in your business, it will help to:

• improve employee wellbeing
• reduce absenteeism
• increase employee engagement and talent retention
• become an employer of choice/attract new talent
• future proof your business (as numbers of carers in the workforce are predicted to increase).

Act today and become a carer friendly employer. Visit employers for carers to help you with a wealth of information and resources. And if you employ less than 250 employees, you can also access the enhanced membership for FREE courtesy of the County Council’s membership it has with the organisation.

To find out how to access this or discuss carer friendly employment practices, please contact us at CarerCommissioning@westsussex.gov.uk.