Employers' provision for informal carers

Researchers: Hilary Arksey and Sandra Hutton

Funder: University of York’s Innovation and Research Priming Fund

Duration: May to November 2000

This project was prompted by a previous study completed in SPRU looking at the impact of the Carers (Services and Recognition) Act 1995 for local authorities and informal carers. This research showed how difficult it could be for people providing informal care to simultaneously take part in paid work. Given that supporting informal carers to remain in work is currently high on the government’s agenda, a small-scale, exploratory piece of research was undertaken. It was designed to explore employers’ awareness of the needs of working carers and to examine what employers were doing to meet those needs whilst fitting in with business requirements.

Qualitative interviews were held with 13 human resources/personnel managers from both the private and public sectors in the north of England. Some ten organisations were in the private sector, specifically: Retail and Wholesale Distribution; Manufacturing; Finance and Business Services, Transport and Distribution, and Other Services. The remaining three employers were government or publicly-funded agencies. Establishment-based workforce sizes ranged from 20 to over 5000.

Key findings

• Public sector employers in the study were further forward than those in the private sector in terms of offering a wide range of leave options, flexible working arrangements and workplace facilities. Similarly, large employers were more likely to offer this sort of support than smaller ones but it was still possible for smaller employers to offer flexibility and help for carers on their staff.

• Male dominated workplaces and/or traditional industries were less likely to offer flexible working arrangements, yet men are increasingly becoming involved in caring.

• As people progress up the career ladder, their ability to combine the role of employee and carer may decrease.

• The role of line manager and/or supervisor is critical; the best developed policies and practices will only be successful if managers support and ‘buy in’ to them.

Publications

Show Abstract...

2002

Combining informal care and work: Supporting carers in the workplace, 2002
Arksey, H., Health and Social Care in the Community, 10, 3, 151-161.

2001

Employers' Provisions for Carers, 2001
Arksey, H., Social Policy Research Unit.