What exactly does taking care of a relative involve?
We talk about voluntary carers when someone is providing unpaid and long-term intensive care to a child, partner, one of their parents or another loved one. These carers always have a personal relationship with the person they are caring for. Their emotional involvement makes this type of care doubly difficult. Voluntary care does not always mean that the person chose to do it. It is something that happens and to which it is almost impossible to say "no". Often there is literally no-one else who can provide this care.
Effects of combining voluntary care and work
People who provide voluntary care and hold down a job are racking up overtime. You can't stop or switch off caring for someone, it carries on 24/7. Sometimes these employees are also busier during their working hours too, for example if they need to phone a doctor, or a care shop or the local authority to sort something out or make a request. Some employees who are voluntary carers do not even mention it at work. How can you tell if someone is a voluntary carer and is at risk of overload?
Signs and symptoms of overload
Voluntary carers can suffer various symptoms:
- Physical symptoms like stomach ache, dizziness, headaches, hyperventilation, neck, back and shoulder pain, tiredness.
- Psychological symptoms such as depression, brooding, sleeping badly, being over-emotional.
These are the signs that you as a manager need to spot:
- More stress, irritation, being tense.
- Looking exhausted, problems with concentration.
- Often arriving late and always leaving on the dot, never just hanging around.
- Not taking part in social activities outside working hours.
- Needing time on their own, and black moods.
- Neglecting their own appearance.
Voluntary caring and fitness for work
Voluntary carers who suffer from the above symptoms also tend to perform less well at work. In addition, when they get home from their job they never have enough time to rest and recharge. This affects their fitness for work. They run the risk of taking sick leave due to stress or symptoms of burnout, or they call in sick because they just can't keep on top of everything. To prevent this happening, these employees need to find a better balance between work and home life. You as a manager can help them with this. Consideration and understanding are important, as are information about leave arrangements and assistance in contacting volunteer agencies.
Why support from their manager is so important
Employees who are voluntary carers often find it hard to talk about this with their manager. They feel it's too private, they don't want to offload more work onto their colleagues, or they are afraid of the effect it will have on their career. However, those who do discuss it may find plenty of support, because people understand their situation and make allowances for it. They also suffer less from physical or psychological problems.
Get to work!
Do you suspect that an employee is struggling with voluntary caring? Then plan to talk to this employee as soon as possible.
Challenge
If you suspect that someone is a voluntary carer and that combining this with their work is too difficult, talk to them. You can express your concern and ask where that person needs help. Also be aware that this is not a one-time question with a definitive answer, keep the dialogue open going forwards. The tips below will help you.
- Look for solutions together
In this conversation, help to look for solutions such as flexible working hours, or adjustments to their workload. Employees then don't need to take so many leave days to deal with care tasks, or to report in sick because they are needed more at home. Impress on them that if they are caught in a dilemma, they can discuss it with you and that you will help to seek a solution. - Don't forget colleagues
If, for example, you reach an agreement with the voluntary carer to adjust their working hours, don't forget to also tell their colleagues. Discuss with your employee how much information you can share, but make sure that their colleagues are aware of what you have agreed, and why. This will avoid misunderstandings, the feeling that someone is getting "special treatment" or other issues. It is unlikely to be the first time that colleagues show willingness to think about how they can support or reduce the stress for the employee who is a voluntary carer.
What arrangements are there for the combination of work and care?
There are various statutory regulations that the informal caregiver can make use of:
- Emergency leave
- Short-term care leave
- Long-term care leave
- Wet flexible working
- Additional agreements in the employment conditions and collective labor agreement of your organization (agreements to combine work and private life, such as saving for leave, personal personal budget.
These articles might also be of interest:
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