Following a diagnosis of cancer, it is vital employers step up to support those caring for their loved one. Effective line management of cancer carers is key, as is consistent, clear and compassionate communication and reassurance, writes Aaron Dryden.
Stark figures from workplace cancer support provider Reframe Cancer around the experience of cancer carers in the workplace signal that employers need to do better if they are to hold on to talent and maintain positive working relationships.
Working carers
Employers must offer more flexibility to working carers, research shows
More than a third of cancer carers intend to leave their employer as a result of how they were treated while caring for someone with cancer, the charity highlighted.
This echoes my own experience when I was doing exactly that early in my career. I can attest that any missteps will be amplified at this time and not forgiven or forgotten when people are grappling with the most serious of life situations.
Line managers are critical. How well they support their staff who are caring for someone with cancer has a significant impact. Research from Carers UK shows that 57% of working carers rate their manager being understanding as helpful in balancing work and care. So, how can managers ensure they are supportive when their staff need them most?
Importance of line managers
The foundation of this support lies in building a trusting and compassionate working relationship. A good line manager will approach the situation with empathy, creating a safe and non-judgmental space where the employee feels comfortable sharing what they wish to disclose.
A line manager should check in regularly, not just to review work but to see how the employee is coping and what they need to feel in control.”
Managers should follow their lead in terms of what they wish to share, and where work fits on the spectrum of positive distraction to challenging responsibility at any one time. Of course, this can all change as someone is a carer for people at different stages of their cancer journey.
At times, this might involve only providing emotional support only. At other moments, it may be more intense when their loved one is going through treatment or rehabilitation.
Embracing flexibility is often one of the most meaningful ways a manager can help. This might include adjusting working hours, offering temporary changes in responsibilities, or allowing the employee to work from home when needed. These accommodations show understanding and allow the employee to manage their personal and professional responsibilities more effectively.
Clear, open communication is essential. A line manager should check in regularly, not just to review work but to see how the employee is coping and what they need to feel in control. These conversations should be informal and supportive, making it clear that the employee’s wellbeing is a priority.
If the employee feels overwhelmed by the idea of explaining their situation to colleagues, their manager can offer to communicate on their behalf, with consent, helping to reduce emotional strain and preserve privacy.
Flexible and responsive approach
Crucially, line managers should remain flexible and responsive, understanding that the employee s needs may change over time. By being approachable, respectful, and proactive, a line manager can provide the kind of personal support that makes a real difference during one of life’s most challenging times.
Employees may not know what may work for them, so ensuring that the policy is clear and that they and their line managers know what is possible will go a long way towards keeping them feeling supported”
Employers can also play a major part in providing support across the workforce. This can be in a variety of ways, depending on the resources available.
Firstly, flexible working policies that have as broad a range of options as possible will allow employees to find working arrangements that fit their circumstances.
With situations such as cancer care, which will often occur fairly suddenly and be acute, employees may not know what may work for them, so ensuring that the policy is clear and that they and their line managers know what is possible will go a long way towards keeping them feeling supported and able to continue to be productive at work.
As mentioned, this type of caring role can fluctuate and evolve, so it is better that flexibility is discussed and agreed with line managers rather than through a formal flexible working request if your business can support that.
Many roles, however, cannot be worked flexibly due to the need to be online or available during core business hours. In this case, employers should consider carers’ leave, reduced hours and sabbaticals in order to care, or whether a secondment to a role with more flexibility is possible during that period.
Access to benefits
More than 90% of employers offer an employee assistance programme (EAP). However, usage is often quite low, with the average standing at 10.4%. EAPs are more likely to be accessed if they have carer-specific support and cancer pathways or resources, so checking this and letting your workforce know what they can access can make a huge difference to uptake and individuals in need.
There are now a wide range of benefits available to employers to add to their propositions that can help employees caring for those with cancer.
For example, healthcare provider Perci provides an employee benefit that is transformative in terms of filling the gap that exists between cancer and wellness, by offering holistic support and ensuring that side effects both emotional and physical are treated.
Employers for Carers, delivered by Carers UK, offers a range of different membership options to suit budgets and needs, each designed to help employers provide the best possible workplaces for their carer employees.
Here at Yurtle, meanwhile, we offer a care cash plan insurance product that pays out when a loved one is discharged from hospital, their domiciliary carers fail to attend, or a child is sent home from nursery or school when unwell.
This means that while providing care because of cancer, which can have a huge impact on household income through lost earnings and the cost of transport, food, clothing and adaptations to the home, care interruption can come with financial support. This can make options such as taxis, food deliveries and cleaners more viable, and these conveniences can help avoid carer burnout.
Finally, given the number of employees found to be looking for other jobs when they have been let down as cancer carers, employers should make all their efforts to support carers known, promoting it on their website, in job advertisements and across their social channels.
This will ensure they attract talent who can apply skills such as advocacy, problem-solving and self-care gained during their experience as carers.
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