Bank of Ireland partners with Family Carers Ireland to support colleagues in a caring role

by HRHQ Editorial Team

Bank of Ireland has announced a new partnership with Family Carers Ireland to provide supports and resources for colleagues in Ireland and the UK who are balancing their jobs with caring responsibilities at home.  The partnership will help support those families and parents among Bank of Ireland’s 9,000+ colleagues who are in a caring role, currently representing 14% of the workforce.

The partnership will provide information, tools and supports to colleagues, with guidance and training also provided to managers on how to support their teams with parenting and caring responsibilities.

It is estimated that one in nine people in the Irish workforce are in paid employment while also caring for a loved one including children or adults with physical or intellectual disabilities, frail older people, those with palliative care needs or those living with chronic illnesses, mental ill-health, or addiction.

Research conducted by Family Carers Ireland identified the challenges faced by those in the general population carrying out caring roles in Ireland, including the risk of impact to their financial wellbeing.   According to the research 68% of those in a caring role experience financial distress and 23% of those struggling financially are cutting back on essentials such as food and heat and 16% are in arrears with utility bills.

Bank of Ireland has a range of colleague supports and policies in place, including access to Carers Leave, as part of its Family Matters policies. To ensure visibility for carers in the colleague community, the Bank also tracks how carers feel about the company on an annual basis through its sentiment survey and encourages colleagues to self-declare as carers.

Bank of Ireland colleagues in need of support can contact people managers confidentially or access the Bank’s Family Matters Hub or Wellbeing App. They can also avail of the Group’s Employee Assistance Programme, Here for you 24/7 which provides counselling and information services.