Managers today are being asked to support their teams through some of life’s most difficult moments. From grief and serious illness to financial pressures and burnout, the emotional load on employees is growing.
Alongside this, more and more people are quietly taking on unpaid caring responsibilities. Supporting a parent, a partner, a child, or a friend, often without ever using the word “carer” to describe themselves.
That’s why it’s more important than ever to ask: what more can we do to support both carers and the managers supporting them?
Census data shows that nearly 3 million carers aged 16 and over in the UK are in paid employment. Within this, an estimated 1.4 million are “sandwich carers”.
A sandwich carer is someone who provides unpaid care for both dependent children and older relatives, often their own parents or grandparents. They are balancing the needs of two different generations, alongside their own work and personal lives.
This group spans a wide age range, from late teens through to mid-60s. Yet despite their numbers, and the vital role they play, many people don’t recognise themselves as carers at all.
More broadly, unpaid carers contribute the equivalent of around four million paid care workers to the social care system. Without them, the system would simply collapse.
The economic impact is significant too, a major study by Carers Trust found that the contribution of working-age carers is worth up to £47.7 billion a year.
Carers are not a small or niche group in our workforce. They are our colleagues, our teams, and in many cases, our managers.
Why workplace support matters
For many carers, work is more than a job. It can be a source of identity, financial stability, connection, and routine.
But without the right support, balancing work and caring responsibilities can quickly become overwhelming. Many carers reduce their hours, turn down progression opportunities, or leave work altogether because it simply isn’t sustainable.
That’s why creating compassionate, supportive workplace cultures isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s essential for retaining talent, supporting wellbeing, and keeping people in work.
What can organisations do?
The good news is that small, practical changes can make a big difference. It starts with creating an environment where carers feel seen, supported, and safe to speak up.
Here are four simple ways to get started:
Ask - One of the easiest ways to support carers is to make space for the conversation. Build caring into the everyday conversations you’re already having,
during onboarding, regular check-ins, supervision, and annual reviews. Taking the time to understand what’s happening in someone’s life outside of work helps you see the full picture and the load they may be carrying. Many carers won’t volunteer this information unless they feel asked in a safe and supportive way. Simple, open questions can make all the difference.
Talk - Visibility changes everything, talk openly about caring within your organisation. Share stories, signpost support, and make it clear that people with caring responsibilities are valued and supported. Many carers stay quiet because they worry they’ll be seen as less committed, particularly during times of organisational change or uncertainty. Creating a culture where caring isn’t something to hide helps people feel able to speak up earlier, before they reach crisis point.
Educate - Managers play a crucial role in shaping how supported someone feels at work. People are much more likely to open up when they feel psychologically safe, and that comes from trust, empathy, and understanding. Sometimes these conversations can feel difficult, managers may worry about saying the wrong thing or not knowing how to help. That’s where training matters, giving managers the confidence and skills to have compassionate conversations can transform how support is experienced day to day.
Formalise - Informal support is important, but it needs to be backed up by clear policies. Make sure your policies are up to date, easy to find, and regularly communicated. Employees need to understand their rights, including legal protections:
• Five days’ unpaid carer’s leave
• Time off for dependants in emergencies
• Parental leave
• Protection from discrimination
• The right to request flexible working
Alongside policies, practical guidance and real-life examples can help bring them to life. Case studies can show both managers and employees what good support looks like in practice.
Ultimately, supporting carers is about more than policies or processes. It’s about culture. It’s about recognising that people don’t leave their lives at the door when they come to work, it’s about understanding that, at some point, many of us will become carers ourselves.
By creating workplaces where people feel seen, understood, and supported, we not only help individuals through challenging times, but we also build stronger, more compassionate organisations for everyone.
Lucy Carpenter
Compassionate Employers Lead
Hospice UK