Caring responsibilities

Having caring responsibilities is another recognised influence on absence. According to the CIPD more than one in three employers have reported increased absence levels because their staff are struggling to cope with caring responsibilities outside of work. Yet just one in six organisations have policies in place to help carers achieve a better balance between their home and working lives.

Where support does exist it is most likely to be in the form of flexible working (68%), compassionate leave (53%) and paid or unpaid carers’ leave (48%). Two-fifths of employers (42%) offer access to counselling services and three in 10 offer career breaks and sabbaticals.