One in five carers give up work because balancing caring responsibilities with holding down a job becomes too much. The public expenditure costs of carers who are unable to continue working have been estimated at £1.3 billion a year. This affects not only carers themselves but also employers, the wider economy, and individuals. Employers are losing talented people they have invested in.
Evidence shows that, without support, the challenges employees face in balancing work and care are stressful and debilitating. Many carers are forced to quit their jobs to manage their caregiving responsibilities. However, employer support can make a substantial difference in enabling carers to continue working alongside caring.
Working carers with a carer-friendly employer are less likely to:
- Consider reducing their hours or giving up their job completely
- Find it difficult to concentrate at work
- Turn down a promotion or decide against applying for a job due to their caring responsibilities
- Take sick leave or unpaid leave to provide care
Supporting carers to remain in work can unlock significant economic benefits. In addition to reversing losses incurred, research shows that employers with supportive policies in place see improved service delivery, cost savings, and increased productivity.
With the right support and awareness from colleagues and employers, many carers can continue working. Employers across Scotland are increasingly recognising that small changes can make a big difference.
How VOCAL can help
As a leading expert in the health and social care sector, we collaborate with employers to create carer-friendly workplaces. We can support you to:
- Raise awareness of caring
- Lead team discussions
- Build carer networks
- Review and develop internal policies
Employers can also access downloadable resources for line managers and staff.
We work in partnership with employers across all sectors including higher education, finance, public services and hospitality, supporting their ambitions to upskill managers and become a carer-friendly workplace.
Historic Environment Scotland’s experience
“We have developed a great working partnership with VOCAL.
They have provided guidance to help us raise awareness of the support that is available to working carers and have helped to identify gaps within our own policies and procedures. They have been involved in the development of our own carer policy and carer network. Their knowledge, guidance and support has been invaluable in helping us to shape our approach and offer the right support for working carers within our organisation.
We have received very positive feedback from our staff who have taken up the opportunity to access the resources that VOCAL provides.”
– Angie Hamilton, Head of Wellbeing, Historic Environment Scotland (HES)
Get in touch
If you are interested in finding out more about supporting carers in your workplace, please email or call 0131 622 6666.
