The caring responsibilities you might not see at work

The caring responsibilities you might not see at work

Behind a colleague’s working day there may be appointments to arrange, care visits to coordinate or a phone call they are worried about missing. Caring responsibilities can take many forms, and understanding how they fit around work helps managers offer support that reflects the person’s circumstances.

Someone might be supporting an elderly parent, a partner with a long-term illness, a disabled child or a friend who needs regular help. They may be caring for more than one person, sharing responsibilities with others or managing everything from a distance.

Recognise care in its different forms

When organisations talk about family support, the conversation often centres on parents with young children. That matters, but it is only part of the picture.

Care can involve practical help, emotional support, supervision, managing finances or dealing with services. A colleague who lives miles away from the person they support might still spend hours arranging appointments, speaking to professionals and responding when something changes.

Some people don’t describe themselves as carers. They see themselves as a daughter, husband, parent or friend doing what is needed. Using everyday language can make it easier for them to recognise that workplace support may be relevant to them.

“A question worth asking
“Are there responsibilities outside work that you’d like us to take into account when we plan your workload or working arrangements?”

Make room for a conversation

A colleague may worry that mentioning their caring responsibilities will affect how others view their reliability, commitment or career ambitions. They may also want to protect the privacy of the person they support.

Choose a private moment and make it clear that they can focus on what would help at work without explaining every personal detail. Ask open questions and let them decide how much to share.

Avoid assuming that two people with similar caring roles need the same arrangements. One might benefit from a predictable finish time, while another needs flexibility to respond to occasional emergencies.

“What you could say
“You don’t need to go into the personal details. It would help to understand which parts of the working day are difficult to manage and what we could look at together.”

Look at where work and care collide

A useful conversation goes beyond asking whether someone is coping. Explore the practical points where their responsibilities and working arrangements overlap.

Perhaps an early meeting clashes with a care visit, an appointment requires several hours of travel or changes announced at short notice make it difficult to arrange cover at home.

Depending on the role, options to discuss could include:

• Adjusting start and finish times.
• Giving more notice of meetings, travel or rota changes.
• Reviewing priorities during a particularly demanding period.
• Agreeing how urgent interruptions will be handled.
• Exploring remote or hybrid working where the role allows.
• Explaining the organisation’s leave options and how to access them.

Check relevant policies with HR and be clear about what is available. If an arrangement needs approval, agree when you will come back with an answer.

Plan for the unexpected

Caring responsibilities aren’t always predictable. An established routine can change suddenly if someone becomes unwell, a care arrangement falls through or support needs increase.

Agreeing a simple plan in advance can make these situations easier to manage. Discuss who the employee should contact, how essential work will be covered and what information is needed if they have to step away.

The plan should be realistic for the role and the team, with enough flexibility to respond to the circumstances.

“A practical conversation prompt
“If something changes unexpectedly, what would be the easiest way to let me know? Let’s agree how we would handle anything urgent at work.”

Protect privacy when arranging support

Colleagues may need to know that someone’s hours have changed or that a task has been reassigned. They usually don’t need to know why.

Agree with the employee what can be shared, and keep personal information limited to what is needed to arrange support. Be particularly thoughtful about details concerning the person receiving care, whose circumstances are also private.

A straightforward explanation such as “We’ve agreed a change to working hours” may be enough.

Keep career opportunities open

Caring responsibilities do not tell you whether someone wants a promotion, a new project or a development opportunity. Ask rather than deciding on their behalf.

A manager may intend to ease pressure by leaving someone out of a demanding assignment, but that can also remove an opportunity they wanted. Discuss what the work would involve and whether any changes would make participation possible.

“What you could say
“I wanted to talk to you about this opportunity. Would it interest you, and are there any practical arrangements we should discuss?”

Check whether support is still working

An arrangement that helps now may need to change later. Agree a review date and ask what is working, what remains difficult and whether the support is still appropriate.

Networks can also offer a useful space for colleagues to share experiences and ideas. Make participation optional, and ensure people can access workplace support whether or not they join a network or speak publicly about their circumstances.

Recognising carers at work starts with making support visible, listening to individual needs and following through on what has been agreed.

How Employees Matter can help

Employees Matter offers informative webinars, seminars and lived-experience conversations that help organisations understand the different caring responsibilities people bring to work.

We can support carers’ and family networks, manager learning and events across networks, connecting personal experiences with practical considerations for working life. Whether your focus is caring for elderly parents, supporting a family member with a long-term condition or recognising a wider range of caring roles, we can help you plan a relevant session for your colleagues.

To discuss support for your organisation, contact info@employeesmatter.co.uk.