Nearly 21 per cent of UK workers who consider themselves part of the ‘sandwich generation’ say that their employer does not offer support to balance work and home responsibilities, according to Unum.
According to a new Unum-commissioned Opinium poll, more than 6 million people in the UK workforce, or more than one in every five workers, are balancing child and elderly relatives’ care.
Almost 35 per cent of sandwich generation workers reported that it has harmed their emotional health, 29 per cent their financial health and 25 per cent their physical health.
According to the study, 20 per cent of employees are less productive at work, and 13 per cent have left an unsupportive boss.
Nearly 24 per cent of sandwich generation workers have needed time off work to manage their caring responsibilities, with another 16 per cent claiming it has led them to take sick leave.
Despite the fact that 38 per cent of employees said their firm offers flexible hours, less than a third receive assistance from their employer in the form of remote working, emergency leave to care for sick dependents, or an employee assistance programme (EAP).
According to 21 per cent of respondents, their employer did not provide assistance in balancing work and family duties. Employees wanted their employers to create a specific support programme, including signposting to external care, providing resources for life and wellbeing support, providing onsite childcare resources or financial support for childcare, and providing access to mental health assistance, in addition to flexible work arrangements.
Unum CEO Mark Till says: “It’s clear from our data that there is work for employers to do to support the huge number of UK workers with dual caring responsibilities. A comprehensive benefits package can provide a wide array of support services for employees having to manage caregiving responsibilities and work — especially around mental, financial and physical health concerns that sandwich generation workers raise as a particular issue. The bottom line is employers must consider how to be understanding whilst providing effective support services to avoid losing staff who feel under-supported.”