Understanding the benefits that flexible working can bring to both the employer and employees with caring responsibilities is an important part of developing policies and practices.

Flexible working has certainly been proven to benefit the employer in particular through cost savings and increased employee retention. It is the key to ensuring that employees with caring responsibilities can work and continue to be effective in the workplace. It can provide mechanisms for all employees to balance work and life, but it can be specifically beneficial for those employees who are carers.

Adjustments can include:

• Flexible starting and finishing times.
• Compressed working hours.
• Annualised working hours.
• Shift-swapping and self-rostering.
• Job sharing or part-time working.
• Home-working and remote working.
• Term-time working.
• Flexible holidays to fit in with alternative care arrangements.

These benefits support carers by addressing their individual situations rather than labelling them as people who need extra help or who have problems. Flexible working, open to all, reduces resentment about “preferential treatment”.

Download: 

Flexibility in action (Sainsbury’s)
Flexibility in action (Nutricia)
Flexibility – making it work for SMEs (Listawood)

Flexible working options

Here are some different examples of how small changes to working patterns can enable carers to juggle work and their caring responsibilities more effectively.

Download flexible working options here.

Hybrid working resources

EfC have provided links to some resources that can support your organisation with hybrid working.

Download hybrid working resources here.

Flexibility on the frontline

In March 2021, Employers for Carers hosted a frontline networking session for members who have a significant number of employees in frontline roles. The session provided updates from members about the challenges of supporting frontline working carers in their organisation and some of the ways they have been responding to those challenges.

We have gathered some case studies from Network Rail, London Fire Brigade, HSBC and Royal Mail who all have employees in frontline roles.

Download the case studies here.

Let’s talk about flexible working

Supported by Barclays LifeSkills, Carers UK have created a guide and a series of videos to help those over 50 remain in work, many of whom may be struggling to juggle work with caring responsibilities. The short films feature carers talking about the benefits of flexible working and how it has helped them. The films cover:

• What flexible working means, the benefits it may have and the options that might be available.
• How to get started with flexible working, including tips for carers on starting the conversation.
• How to communicate a request well and the importance of give and take.
• Debunking the myths.

You can access them here on the Carers UK website.

Carers UK have also put together a guide which has practical information to help employees start the conversation with their employer. You can find this guide here.