Guest blog by Jane van Zyl, Chief Executive at Working Families
Our research found that three quarters of UK parents and carers are working additional hours, and a fifth of them say it is the only way they can manage their workload. Throw a cost-of-living crisis into the mix and it’s no wonder that parents and carers are struggling to cope, especially those on a lower income. The lack of affordable childcare is impacting on the mental health of parents and carers. Our recent Working Families Index Spotlight Report, which focused on the experience of lower-income families, found that 48% of parents of under-fives said that difficulties in accessing the childcare they need has been bad for their mental health, rising to 56% for those who have insecure contracts.
A flexible solution
Workplaces depend upon the wellbeing of workers, and so taking workload seriously is critical. The CIPD reports workload as the main cause of stress. The way work is structured can also have an impact on wellbeing, and that’s where flexible working becomes a powerful tool. Not only does working flexibly help parents and carers carry out their roles and responsibilities caring for loved ones, but the ability to do so has a knock-on effect. Our research found that, when given the opportunity to work flexibly, the outlook for families on a lower income is more positive. Those with better access to flexible working were a third less likely to have to quit their job to manage childcare, 25% less likely to fall into debt, and half as likely to have had their mental health negatively impacted due to the difficulty accessing childcare.
Think flexible and family-friendly working
Progressive employers have been showing how to support employees with innovative practices. Here are some of our top tips for employers, inspired by our Best Practice Award winners in the mental health and wellbeing category:
- Be flexible to safeguard mental health. Tailored flexible solutions ensure that individual needs can be met. Formal and informal flex can support parents and carers manage the juggle and help reduce stress and worry. Design roles flexibly and let prospective employees know you’re Happy to Talk Flexible Working by including our strapline and logo, developed with the Government’s Flexible Working Taskforce, on job adverts.
- Foster an open culture - a strong community and personal connection is paramount to a sense of wellbeing. Peer support sessions, buddying, and joint tea breaks create an environment where individuals can talk with one another about their experiences, struggles and challenges.
- Make sure help is on-hand - reach every member of your organisation. Having representatives who work in every area and site of the business, who can cascade information and share their own experiences to break down stigma, can be impactful.
- Be proactive - build conversations around wellbeing into review processes; for example, in an annual health check that includes questions around mental health. This helps identify those who may be struggling as well as normalises mental health conversations.
- Provide a network of support - a powerful way to provide advocacy and connection. A network can be multifaceted, from empowering individuals to speak up and spotlighting diverse leaders, to providing resources for support and addressing barriers through collaboration with HR.
- Be a force for good - facilitating group volunteering helps employees build connection to each other and the wider community by coming together to make a positive difference.
- Ensure there is board-level support - someone at a senior level to support policies around mental health can be very effective in getting results. Having a Wellbeing Champion on the board can ensure policies are supported from the top down.
Jane van Zyl, Chief Executive, Working Families
Working Families has over 40 years’ experience in helping employers implement flexible and family working. Contact the team today: employers@workingfamilies.org.uk