working carers – 3minuteleadership

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

Dementia has become a central part of my life after my mum received a diagnosis last year. One of the benefits of this experience for me has been an increased awareness of the impact of dementia in the workplace and considerations as an employer.

First of all, we know that the number of people with dementia is increasing and the likelihood of having a diagnosis increases with age. Here are some useful statistics:

There are currently 900,000 people living with dementia in the UK and this is projected to rise to 1.6 million by 2040.
Up to 1.7 million people could be living with dementia in England and Wales by 2040 – over 40% more than previously forecast.
1 in 11 people over the age of 65 have dementia in the UK.
65% of the 944,000 people living with dementia in the UK are women.
1 in 3 people born in the UK today will develop dementia in their lifetime.

Plans to increase the pension age to 68 means there will be more older people in the workforce. And, if you are a charity, you might be working with an ageing group of volunteers also.

The final group to remember is the working carers who are relied upon to fill the gap in health and social care services for people with dementia.

What to remember as an employer:

Dementia is a disability – people with dementia must be treated like any other employee with a disability. That means understanding what dementia is and supporting the individual to carry on working (if that is their wish) by making reasonable adjustments.

It’s just a new way of looking at things – when a person has dementia, their brain works differently. They are less likely to cope with complexity so clear communication and direction is essential. They are also more likely to be tired so flexibility may be required.

It does not mean the individual has lost capacity – The Mental Capacity Act states that capacity should be assumed in the absence of an assessment. It is more than possible that someone with dementia still has capacity to make their own decisions.

It is a living bereavement – family members are likely to experience grief and loss even though the person is still alive. A diagnosis represents the beginning of what’s known as ‘the long goodbye’. It is a major adjustment and family members may need time to adjust.

Balancing work and care – There are 5 million working carers in the UK. Alzheimers Society estimate that there are 700,000 unpaid carers of people living with dementia. This group has to find a way to balance work and care. Ensuring they are supported in the workplace to deal with this change can make all the difference for employee retention.

From the figures provided, it is fair to expect that dementia will become more prevalent in the workplace so it is important to be aware and consider how to identify problems and create a safe and supportive environment.

If you are affected by dementia and need support, here is where to get help:

Carers UK

Alzheimer’s Society

Dementia UK

Cruse Bereavement Support (offering specialist support for those experiencing grief and loss as a result of dementia)

If you have a military connection, call the Royal British Legion

Have you been affected by dementia in the workplace? Is there useful learning you can share? Post in the comments below.

Tag: working carers

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