WHO CARES! – AM I BOVVERED – CAN WE FIX IT YES WE CAN!!!

Author - Sandy Green

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WHO CARES! – AM I BOVVERED – CAN WE FIX IT

 YES WE CAN!!!

Do you know that there are around 20,000 people in the UK suffering from dementia and in need of care?  This is a problem that employers cannot ignore.  Indeed the government is calling for employers to make allowances for employees who have care responsibilities, whilst trying to hold down a job at the same time.

I know that many businesses, especially small to medium ones, groan when they get a request in for “flexible working” – as this can put a massive strain on their resources.    Sadly though, with our aging population in the UK, this is something which is likely to affect many employees who will possibly not be in a position to be able to afford private care for their loved ones.

Simple tasks that most of us take for granted, like getting dressed in the mornings can turn into a tricky task for someone suffering with dementia.  For their carers, this in itself is a stressful and situation, couple this with worrying about asking for time off from work and/or juggling with other family responsibilities – when you look at them all, you could well be facing your employee suffering with and taking time off for stress.

However, there are many ways that employers can help.  It could be something as simple as allowing your employee to come in to work an hour later, making up that time at the end of the day – changing the contract of employment to allow for a different work pattern; etc.

The end result of employers being more flexible; caring and understanding can be most beneficial for everyone involved.  You get a more productive and appreciative employee, and they can manage their working life better. 

The most satisfaction I get in my working life as a professional HR Consultant, is helping employers and employees to achieve a Win-Win in any given situation where possible – and this one seems like a no-brainer to me!

Sandy Green

HR Dept (Herefordshire)