Just a third of employers (34%) have a formal, written policy or an informal, verbal policy in place to support working carers in their workplace, according to a new survey published today. With estimates suggesting that 3 in 5 people will end up caring for someone at some point in their lives1, employers are being urged to put mechanisms in place to empower and support working carers, before they lose out on key talent.
This is according to new CIPD/Westfield Health research which finds that almost two-fifths (38%) of employers do not have any policies in place to support working carers, or plans to develop one. The report also finds that just 13% of organisations offer line manager training to support working carers, which is concerning given the key role line managers play in providing flexibility and support to people with caring responsibilities.