One in nine people in Ireland’s workforce juggle paid employment whilst caring for a family member.
Bank of Ireland has joined forces with national charity Family Carers Ireland to launch a bespoke programme for colleagues who have caring responsibilities.
Family Carers Ireland (FCI) has developed the programme, called ‘Caring Employers’, to provide guidance and assistance for companies to appropriately support their employees who also have a family caring role.
“With our inclusive workplace at Bank of Ireland, we have many family carers across our Group who we know may need additional support”
Bank of Ireland is giving access to the programme and the full range of support it offers to all colleagues who wish to use it.
“Our ‘Caring Employers’ programme highlights the importance of ensuring that carers feel valued and cared for within their own work environments,” said Catherine Cox, head of Communications and Carer Engagement with FCI.
“We are delighted that Bank of Ireland, as a major longstanding employer in this country are adapting to this new focus by offering this increased level of support to their employees.”
Caring is a workplace reality
There are over 355,000 family carers in Ireland, with one in nine people in Ireland’s workforce juggling paid employment whilst caring for a family member.
These caring requirements can take many forms, including caring for a child, a parent or a relative, and the increased stresses caused by juggling work with caring responsibilities can also have a significant impact on people’s wellbeing and performance at work.
Where this occurs, progressive employers need to ensure that adequate support systems are in place to avoid losing valued employees who may be under considerable pressure outside of their workplace.
“We are proud to announce this new partnership with Family Carers Ireland, coming at a time when Covid-19 is impacting households across the country and the needs of families, the elderly and those with caring responsibilities are at the forefront of everyone’s minds,” said Bank of Ireland chief marketing officer Henry Dummer.
“With our inclusive workplace at Bank of Ireland, we have many family carers across our Group who we know may need additional support. A caring role can take many forms, so it’s very important to us that all our colleagues know that we have the necessary supports in place whenever they are required. The Caring Employers programme is a great way to show that we care for our colleagues, and Bank of Ireland is delighted to partner with Family Carers Ireland in supporting it.”
Written by John Kennedy (john.kennedy3@boi.com)
Published: 11 June, 2020
