The Work Place and Care Givers

Workers that are responsible for the efficient functioning of an enterprise are looking at the possibility of having the demand of providing care to their aging parents, who are part of the baby boomer generation that are now moving in to retirement. It's not good enough to brush off this reality as just a personal requirement, since such needs will eventually have a large impact on the productivity and efficient running of your business.

Enterprises today do not really have the option of simply taking the attitude that the employee can quit and the company can find someone new. The harsh reality is that trained, skilled and mature staffs are not that easy to find. It is naive to think that a productive employee that knows his work and performs well can be replaced by a kid out of school.

If the need for your hard working and able employees to be care givers has caused you to substitute them with less informed, unskilled and younger employees, you could sustain devastating financial losses in the future. Training costs of new staff alone will be more than accommodating the needs of your existing staff. Furthermore replacing relationships, market savvy, judgment, and wisdom that people of this maturity have is not even possible.

Your first move to accommodating them will be to understand their predicament. Overtly or covertly, these employees will care for their loved ones, so it makes better sense for the company to partner together with them to be successful in their home functions, and it will naturally follow they will contribute even more to your organization.

Organize some seminars so that people can share difficulties of care giving for their loved ones. Encourage all to attend to make them aware of company support available even at a future date. Inviting open discussion will convey that they have the sympathy and support of the company which will cause them to give more of themselves and their loyalty. This will also be good for the public image of the firm.

Even though not every employee will require the same quantity of support to fulfill their role as primary caregiver, and some could need more emotional support, whichever it may be they should be encouraged to communicate their needs to the management.

This will cut both ways as the employee will now view you as virtually family since you have made yourself involved with their needs at home, and in your case you will be able to make adjustments in time to accommodate both the employee and not cause a deficit to the company since you are now aware of the entire situation.

Your sensitivity and support will produce loyalty and efficiency, which in turn will cause greater productivity and profit for your company, together with the stability of long standing employees who give of their best. Partnering with the caregivers of your workplace is an in reality good business sense.