Implement Specific Strategies
IMPLEMENT SPECIFIC STRATEGIES
Incorporate strategies into your workplace to provide caregivers with the flexibility they need. This section includes information about specific strategies such as flex-time, telecommuting, and job-sharing.
Institute flex-time, telecommuting, cross-training, or part-time opportunities
Caregivers need flexibility to be successful at work and home. Strategies that offer caregivers flexibility can increase recruitment, retention, productivity, and bring a return on investment. Be open to using these strategies with all employees, not just caregivers, so your employees feel everyone has a fair chance to use them.
Flex-time and Telecommuting
Flex-time and telecommuting are low-cost strategies that give caregivers the flexibility to schedule their work life and home life in the most efficient way possible. Flex-time and telecommuting are proven strategies that have a real return on investment. For more information, check out the business case here.
Cross-Training strategy
Small employers know how hard it is to lose an employee suddenly. Incorporate cross-training
as a strategy to reduce the impact if one of your employees has caregiving responsibilities that take them away from the workplace.
Part-time Opportunities
Allow employees to access part-time opportunities
while they are providing care for a loved one. Part-time opportunities give employees a chance to provide care and stay engaged with your business.
Allow leave time to be used for caregiving
Give caregivers the flexibility to fulfill their duties at home without creating conflict with their duties at work.
Sick leave
Allow employees to use their sick time to provide care for someone else. That could be taking dad to his cardiologist appointment, or taking a few days to travel to family to help out in a health crisis.
Paid family leave
Allow employees a period of paid leave for caregiving. Be sure to write the policy with the same level of leave for all types of caregivers, without different amounts of leave for men/women, and with full wage-replacement. (It’s better to offer 4 weeks at 100% pay rather than 8 weeks at 50%).
Unpaid leave
Allow caregivers to take unpaid leave for an agreed duration to focus on providing care beyond what is already covered by your paid leave policy and/or FMLA.
Most caregivers want to stay with their current employer, even if they cannot work full-time during a peak caregiving period. By offering caregivers access to leave time, small employers can keep the caregiver engaged with the business. Once a caregiver is ready to come back full-time, you do not have to rehire or retrain them. Caregivers can jump back into work after the set period is over. (And their loyalty is sky high!)
Expand benefits to include more comprehensive caregiving support
Expanding your current benefits package to provide comprehensive caregiving support can attract new talent and reduce workplace costs. While offering increased benefits can feel like a cost you can’t afford, they can pay off in the long run. Potential employees want to understand the caregiving resources that would be available to them and if their employer understands the challenges of being a caregiver.
Paid Caregiving Leave
Financial strains and challenges are common among caregivers. Provide caregivers with a period of paid leave that can be used for caregiving
so that they can focus on providing the best care possible for their loved ones.
Mental Health Support
Caregivers often experience emotional stress and burnout as they try to balance their work and home responsibilities. Provide employees with access to stress management resources, counseling services, and local caregiver support groups so they can take care of themselves, not just their loved ones.
Offer a HCRA/DCRA benefit
At almost no cost to the employer, you can offer this benefit so your employees can use their pre-tax earnings to pay for health care costs and dependent care costs. Since a family caregiver spends
over $6,000 annually on caregiving costs, this adds up to real money for your employees.
