Employers need a clear strategy for supporting young workers with caring responsibilities, hears Abigail Montrose
Young people may be less likely to develop cancer than older people, but they may be supporting someone who is affected. This can be emotionally tough and time consuming. They may need time off to accompany a relative or partner to hospital appointments or chemotherapy sessions or to simply help out at home with caring responsibilities.
Health & Protection’s Cancer Care in the Workplace roundtable heard that having an understanding employer with a clear policy on what help and support they can expect can make everyone’s life easier.
Download the roundtable supplement by following this link.
Women mainly affected
In most cases it is women who have caring responsibilities, said Joy Waugh, senior consultant and marketplace lead at Zest.
“Women are 600 times more likely than men to leave a job because they’ve got caring responsibilities,” she said.
“Some are caring for older people as well as children, and then there are the time pressures.
“Cancer is just one area where care may be required. Employers are very aware and we’re seeing a huge amount of innovation and providers coming into that space, whether that’s digital or in-person care, or concierge services.
“There’s so much need here, where do you even begin?” she added.
The amount of support employees caring for someone with cancer get varies enormously between organisations.
“That will all depend on the culture of the company,” said Rebecca Rann, head of health at Benifex.
“It will also come down to individual managers and team leaders.”
While some managers may be very sympathetic and flexible, others may be less so, the panel noted. For example, if they have strong sales targets to meet and want employees in the workplace, they may be more resistant to giving time off to people with caring responsibilities.
“It’s really important for employers to have an overarching structure and policy around carers,” said Rachel Western, principal at Aon.
“Team leaders and managers all need to understand the ethos that sits behind that. When it’s an employee suffering from cancer, there is an understanding of sick policy and being supportive to the employee. But when it comes to an employee looking after someone with cancer it’s less clear,” she added.
Supporting team leaders and managers
Kelly McCabe, co-founder and CEO of Perci Health, wondered if more could be done to support line managers.
“If you’re going to take on the responsibility of a line management role, you have responsibility for your targets but also for the people you’re looking after and keeping them well,” she said.
Line managers also have to act as a role model.
“Young workers learn from their line managers how they work, what their working patterns are, if they work long hours, if they leave their desk to go for a walk and if they stay at their desk or go out for lunch,” pointed out Hugh Bennett, director of corporate at Howden Employee Benefits.
“Your line manager’s behaviour sets the expectations for you and you will view them as well. If that’s what they’re doing then you may think that’s what I’m going to have to do,” said Bennett.
That can be a challenge for those with caring responsibilities if they think they have to start early and finish late, which can make their responsibilities overwhelming.
Getting the balance right
However, employers also have to set limits.
It may not be possible to take six months off to care for somebody or for employees not to come in for the next five weeks as they have got to take a partner to chemotherapy every day because they do not want to use patient transport.
“There are times when the employee needs to be a little bit flexible too,” explained Aon’s Western.
“Having somebody sick at home doesn’t automatically give you the right to take that time off sick too. But people need guidance and help with the support tools available to them,” she added.
Caring for someone with cancer can also have a big effect on finances, highlighted Megan Millar, senior associate workplace health consulting at MMB.
“There might be a lot of financial strain on that individual in addition to emotional strain, especially for younger adults,” she said.
“They might resent having to care for a parent or sibling because this restricts them going out, leaving home or travelling or whatever.
“They might need emotional support, plus they may need practical advice. There are lots of different ways employers can support carers – it’s not just about time off work but emotional and financial support too,” she concluded.
Download the roundtable supplement by following this link.
