Over the last few years, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) initiatives have risen to the forefront of almost every organisation, yet one group is often overlooked: working carers.
In fact, recent research has unveiled that a third of companies are totally unaware of the caregiving challenges of their employees. What’s even more worrying is that 85% of businesses do not offer any type of support for working carers whatsoever, and only 1 in 5 are very aware of the challenges faced by employees who are caregivers.
Carers UK estimates that 7.7 million people in the UK are juggling care responsibilities and work. Despite this prevalence, caregiving remains largely invisible in workplace DEI discussions and, as a result, UK businesses are walking blindly into a working carer crisis.
The working carer crisis
Many caregivers feel isolated in the workplace, often hiding their caregiving responsibilities from colleagues. This reluctance to speak up stems from fear that discussing care duties could harm career growth or signal a lack of commitment. Unlike parental milestones, which typically receive institutional support and understanding, adult caregiving is often stigmatised or misunderstood. For many employees, it’s a quiet and isolating journey, with most conversations about “family” support in the workplace focusing almost exclusively on new or expecting parents, not those caring for adult dependents.
Naturally this invisibility leads to a lack of support and understanding, with caregivers often facing ‘compassion fatigue’, a common phenomenon among family caregivers where the emotional and physical demands of care contribute to burnout. For any business, this withdrawal and burnout can only lead to significant consequences – an employee disengaging from the workplace, increased absenteeism, reduced productivity, or resignation.
Research shows that UK businesses are already seeing the impact of the challenges faced by working carers. 50% of HR leaders have recently reported that caregiving responsibilities of their employees have impacted their organisation. With Carers UK estimating that UK businesses lose £8.1 billion each year due to absenteeism, productivity loss and employee turnover caused by caregiving responsibilities, it’s clear that there’s a strong business case for integrating caregiver support into DEI initiatives.
Supporting carers as an HR initiative
To retain talent, particularly in industries where employees have decades of experience and are challenging to replace, supporting working carers is essential. But it’s not just about retaining talent. Addressing the caregiving challenges of employees is also an effort that contributes to better gender equality in the workplace as caregiving disproportionately affects women. According to Census 2021 data, 59% of unpaid carers are women, and research shows that women are four times more likely to quit or reduce hours to take on caregiving roles, compounding gender equality issues. Similarly, women are five to eight times more likely than men to experience employment disruption due to caregiving, so addressing caregiving in DEI conversations can help alleviate gender disparity and support career advancement for women.
Promisingly, a growing awareness among HR leaders of this caregiving problem is increasing appetite for change in many UK businesses. 82% of HR leaders agree that offering adult caregiver support benefits would positively impact employee retention and engagement levels, which is a positive step for achieving future gender equality in the workplace by helping to keep women in the workforce. And, with 71% of HR leaders wanting caregiver leave policies improved or introduced in their organisation in the next 12-24 months, it’s likely that much-needed changes are to come sooner rather than later.
How employers can support caregivers
Recent legal developments in the UK underscore the growing recognition of caregiving as an important workplace issue. The Carer’s Leave Act, which came into force in April 2024, gives carers new rights and provides a foundation for employers to build more supportive policies.
For employers looking to support caregivers in their workforce, recognising caregiving as a DEI issue is a crucial starting point. Being a working carer isn’t just a label, but an identity – and one that can be uncovered by organisations through surveys of their workforce. However, businesses need to understand that many working carers do not identify with the labels “carer” or “caregiver”, so identifying who may be a carer might not be straightforward.
Likewise, businesses should establish caregiver networks among employees, and importantly, one that is separate from a new family or young parent network. Conversations around adult caregiving are very different, nuanced, and deserving of their own group, particularly when it comes to discussions around grief and balancing the mental load of caregiving. These groups also lend themselves well to the establishment of caregiver allies too, similar to those we see in the form of Mental Health First Aiders.
Of course, the implementation and promotion of caregiver-friendly policies should be a given. Many HR teams are updating their policies for carers, but are all employees aware of it? Raising awareness of the flexible policies on offer is a crucial step towards equality for caregivers in the workforce, as are comprehensive and specialist employee benefits geared towards working carers. Such benefits can help people through every stage of their care journey, ranging from practical, hands-on help to access untapped funding, provide care assessments, and advice to reduce the chaos of care.
Change in light of an evolving workforce
As the workforce ages and more employees take on caregiving responsibilities, it’s essential for any HR leader – and an entire business – to include caregivers in DEI initiatives. By recognising and supporting this demographic, employers can not only improve employee well-being but also enhance productivity, retention, and workplace inclusivity. Supporting carers isn’t just good for employees—it’s good for business too. Embracing caregiving as a DEI priority ensures a workplace where everyone can thrive, regardless of their responsibilities outside work.
Stephanie Leung is Founder and CEO of care concierge service KareHero, and is a Family Caregiver and Entrepreneur. She is also a FTSE100 NED, former Co-chair for DEI and EMEA head of Women@Uber, and a former CEO/COO/CBDO at Forbes top 20 companies. Stephanie has 25 years experience in senior executive roles, and is a mentor and coach focused on women in leadership and DEI issues.
