EXTRA: CARER POSITIVE

PREPARING YOUR ORGANISATION FOR 2021 AND BEYOND:

Supporting carers in your workplace

T

he sudden emergence of the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020 brought about an unprecedented and challenging year for Scottish businesses. With a vaccine being rolled out across the country, employers and staff members alike are now keen to establish what the future of working life will look like in Scotland.

for people who may be vulnerable, or shielding. Normal care services may have been withdrawn and caring demands intensified; and that part of life away from caring, with the chance for social interaction with colleagues removed. However it also shone a light on the opportunities created by the need to adapt to different working models. Flexible working has long been recognised as beneficial, not just to working carers and their families, but in translating those better work-life balances to the overall resilience of organisations. And whilst the right to request flexible working has been strengthened in statutory terms in recent years, reservations and practical challenges often stood in the way of many staff benefiting from this provision.

Employers may be increasingly aware of the growing numbers of employees juggling work with caring for someone who may be older, frail, ill or disabled. The pandemic saw the number of carers in Scotland rise by 400,000 to stand at a now estimated 1.1 million people. Over half of those new to caring as a result of the pandemic have been working carers, added to the existing 270,000 combining work and care.

The Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown restrictions saw a sudden and drastic shift in this, with employers forced to act quickly to enable remote and flexible working in order to continue operations.

Lessons learned from 2020 The speed of the move to home working has been impressive. People have adapted quickly and gained new skills, allowing allow teams to collaborate remotely and

Managing these roles has always been challenging, but working carers have had the additional concern of caring

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