Research from CIPD shows that nearly half of the 3 million working carers in England and Wales struggle to balance work and care, with a quarter considering leaving their jobs. As more women are delaying motherhood, “sandwich carers” juggling childcare, elder care, and work are growing in number with many experiencing mental ill-health. Figures show that 51% of sandwich carers are aged 45–64 – also the menopause red zone.
A Personal Story
When my dad passed away in 2022, I became my mum’s carer while raising my 4-year-old son. Living 160 miles apart, I frequently had to choose who to be with – and I couldn’t choose my child.
Things came to a head before Christmas when my mum had a fall. She lay in the driveway until discovered by a passing window cleaner and was taken to A&E by a neighbour. She was discharged after eight hours, with no consideration of whether she could manage at home—she couldn’t.
Despite an emergency care package, the burden of overnight care fell on my niece, who was called 5–6 times a night. When I arrived, the situation was unsustainable. Night-time care for my mum was quoted at £1,700 a week—contrast this with the £81.90 carers’ allowance for family carers.
This financial inequity is a bitter pill to swallow. Family carers support out of love, but that love comes at a high price: sleepless nights, lost income, and emotional burnout.
The Cost of Caring
Balancing work and care often forces women to reduce their hours or leave work altogether. A typical day might look like this:
- Childcare: 4–5 hours
- Work: 7.5 hours
- Sleep: 7 hours
- Commuting: 2 hours
It leaves little room for elder care, especially as most support services operate during office hours. Women already shoulder the bulk of unpaid domestic work, so it’s no surprise they’re 7x more likely than men to leave work entirely due to caregiving responsibilities.
What can employers do?
Employers can ease this burden by fostering a culture of understanding and flexibility. Here are key steps they can take:
- Awareness: Gather data on carers and use it to advocate for policy changes, learning from your teams and amplifying their voices.
- Training: Train managers to understand carers’ unique challenges and set up systems that allow carers to notify them of caring demands.
- Leave: Offer paid carers’ leave to prevent financial strain and demonstrate that the workplace values both its employees and their caregiving responsibilities.
The UK care system relies heavily on the unpaid efforts of family members, predominantly women. We need systemic reforms that value carers’ contributions, both at home and in the workplace.
Supporting carers is key to fostering a thriving workforce. Businesses can boost retention, morale, and productivity by developing strategies that recognise the impact of caring responsibilities and address carers’ needs.
1-1 coaching can also help women to find balance and effectively advocate for themselves, striking a balance that allows them to meet their responsibilities whilst still smashing it at work.
If you’re ready to create a culture of care and empowerment, get in touch to find out how we can support.
Image by Sabine van Erp from Pixabay
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