Summer work+family update

The latest News, Views and Opinions on all things work+family related, from Ben Black

Eldercare

The last couple of months have been dominated by the eldercare debate. The details that emerged on Panorama, whilst horrific are unlikely to be the last such exposé as the sector comes under increasing financial and demographic pressure.

More and more of us will combine our working lives with a care commitment, large or small, to one or both of our parents. (NB. We talk about "eldercare" because the debate is predominantly about our own parents but the correct phrase is adult "dependent care".) There will be a massive role for employers to play. Some employers of course already do a lot - BT and the inspirational Caroline Waters very much lead the agenda in the UK; UBS seems the best of the banks; and Shell is another global player that invests heavily in support for its employees.

Recent eldercare webinar

Our recent eldercare webinar was attended by nearly 100 senior HR managers from 75 different organisations. (If you missed it you can download the presentation and transcript on the right.)

Pushing the boundaries

Interestingly it's not only employers who are pushing the boundaries. Sainsbury's has started training staff to identify carers when they are shopping. Meanwhile Employers for Carers produced its research in June into what employees really want and need from their employer. Based on details from 52 different organisations the survey was very useful in helping to define the issues and raise awareness of how important the issue is becoming.

Meanwhile the OECD analysed the likely costs of caring for the elderly in 2050 in 28 different developed economies. The UK picture looks appalling coming 26th/28 in terms of estimated spend mainly because, compared to our Mediterranean neighbours, the family does less. The Big Society has some way to go!

Female leadership

The BBC gave plenty of coverage to findings that suggested our Neanderthal ancestors had society set up rather differently. It was women who forged careers and went travelling whilst the men concentrated on domestic duties. Harriet Harman would have been happy!

Rather more relevant to today's debate was the Commission for Equality and Human Rights gender pay report. Men are paid 1% more than women in their twenties but a whopping 20% more in their forties. We like the gender pay report but it seems like the Commission is doing less well elsewhere writing off close to £1million on a failed website project.

So why the massive pay gap?

Well the reasons are numerous, complex and well documented but the biggest factor, by a distance is the change in reality and perception that comes with maternity.

Childcare is obviously a fundamental part of minimising the detrimental impact of maternity on women's careers. We enjoyed the comment in the Odgers & Berndtson study of 100 senior female bankers: "Be organised as hell in your private life. Backup plans are essential if you have children."

Meanwhile the report from the Daycare Trust "Open All Hours" illustrated just how important flexible, trusted childcare is to the typical working parent. 'Behind every great women is a very good nanny, a supportive husband and a pile of washing' - we paraphrase slightly!

Dads

Fathers continue to be a hot topic and we're doing more and more work with The Fatherhood Institute - we continue to be impressed at the quality and quantity of the work it produces.

June also saw the release of the Working Families and Lancaster University joint research "Fathers at Work". The key finding for the private sector was that the ability to work flexibly was incredibly valued and fundamental to the whole work+family debate.

Conversely, in the public sector where 82% of those interviewed already worked flexibly the picture was less clear. To state the obvious if the ability to work flexibly is made too easy of course it is valued less. Flexibility is great as long as it doesn't impact performance. Lose the link between how flexibly people work and how they are performing and the end result will be uncomfortable for all concerned.

Going too far?

Eversheds is, these days, one of the firms that does more than most to embrace the benefits of diversity and flexible working. Frustrating therefore that it found itself in trouble for discriminating in favour of working mothers to the detriment of a man! It certainly won't be the last employer to find the whole work+family arena challenging to navigate.

Ben Black, My Family Care, July 2011

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