Supporting Working Carers: The True Meaning of Employee Appreciation
National Employee Appreciation Day, held on the first Friday of March each year, is an opportunity for organisations to celebrate their staff, recognise those who go the extra mile, and acknowledge the contribution employees make to business success.
Recognition does not always have to come in the form of financial reward. While bonuses and pay increases are welcome, appreciation can also be demonstrated through understanding, flexibility and compassion. For employees who are also unpaid Carers, this kind of support is not simply “nice to have” — it is essential.
Unpaid Carers look after someone who depends on them due to disability, serious illness, frailty or addiction. Caring can be emotionally and physically demanding. When combined with a rigid, uncompromising full-time job, the pressure can quickly lead to stress, sickness absence or even resignation.
Research from Carers UK shows that 2.6 million people have given up work to care — that’s around 600 people every day. Behind each number is a skilled, experienced individual who may have wanted to remain in employment but felt they had no choice.
One of the most powerful ways an organisation can demonstrate appreciation is through supportive leadership. A line manager who acknowledges, understands and empathises with caring responsibilities can make the difference between an employee thriving or leaving.
By adopting a Carer Friendly Employer approach:
- Staff retention strengthens
- Absenteeism reduces
- Experienced and talented employees remain within the organisation
Want to find out more about how workplace training can help your business?
Join our free 30-minute interactive Discovery Session to explore the business case for Carer Friendly workplaces. Around 1 in 7 employees is balancing work and caring responsibilities in your workforce today— learn who they are and how to support them. We’ll share practical tips and quick wins, our workplace training options and explain how you can achieve the Carer Friendly Employer Commitment Mark certification.
Read the story below. Connie, an unpaid Carer, illustrates how the actions of a line manager — both negative and positive — can have a profound impact, and how tools such as a Carer ID card and a Carer’s Passport can transform working life.
