Do you care or want to care?

Over the next few years, it’s anticipated that 60% of working age people will have a ‘caring’ dependency. What does that mean? Caring could involve a child with a disability, a partner who had a stroke last night, an elderly parent, a neighbour or a relative with Dementia. When do you help? The caring could be 24/7, just at weekends or Tuesday afternoons. All kicking off within a timescale that’s now, tomorrow or the future. 

Can you plan for this? Perhaps. 

Will it change you as a person? Maybe not. 

What about your work, your source of income? What about your capacity or capability to maintain your job? Is that going to be a problem? 

Do you tell anyone? “It shouldn’t be a problem these days?” Can you cope and continue ‘business as usual’, afraid to speak up in case you’re side-lined or seen to be ‘different’. Sound familiar?

As managers, can we identify team members with these responsibilities or the support they need? “But it’s their problem!” or “I wouldn’t want to employ someone with those issues” …really?

So what if the carer is you? Tell us how you would want your organisation to respond. Send us your thoughts on the CMI Southern LinkedIn Group.

Blog by Simon Howlett, CMI Southern Inclusion working group

Get help

Why is supporting working carers so important? (Carers UK resource)

If you are looking for practical ideas book for the webinar on diversity and inclusion in the workplace on Mon 6/6/2016, 6.30pm to 7.30pm. It will explore how your organisation can better support the growing proportion of the workforce with an impairment, disability or caring responsibilities.

Join us for practical advice to help you take the next steps and gain one hour CPD.