Caroline Waters

We live in an ageing society.

Improvements in health care and technology, coupled with changes in health service policy and individuals' aspirations for their own care, have led to more people being cared for in their own homes. These trends are set to continue.

Currently, there are 4.3 million working age carers in Great Britain, including 1.5 million carers aged 25 to 59. Half of these are under the age of 45 and central to the UK workforce. These people have acquired a significant level of skill and experience of great value to employers.

With at least 20 working years ahead of them, employers ignore this group of people at their cost!

We know that most people's lives will include at least one episode of caring, and all this at a time when the demand for skilled labour will grow by at least 2 million workers over the next 15 years.

With a significant proportion of any workforce supporting someone who is ill, frail or has a disability, and with fewer young people entering the job market, there has never been a more important time to focus on the benefits of retaining skilled workers (rather than incurring costs to recruit and retrain new staff).

At BT, we have thought of ways to enable carers to continue working. One of the first things we did was to form a partnership with Carers UK. This was fundamental to the success of our approach.

Carers UK helped us create a framework of simple flexibility and practical supports so our carers can manage their professional and caring responsibilities in harmony.

We passionately believe that supporting carers in our organisation isn't difficult, disruptive or expensive. It's just plain business sense. Whether it's working hours or flexible arrangements, a small change can make all the difference to both the carer and our business.

One example is Lisa Crowley, PA to a senior director in the BT Group. Lisa lives with and cares for her elderly Mum, who is extremely arthritic and now uses a wheelchair to get around. Lisa manages her caring responsibilities on top of her work commitments by working with her line manager, having the ability to occasionally work from home, and making sure that all areas of her life are dedicated to the proper time needed. She says this is sometimes a struggle, but the rewards are worth it.

"What is reassuring is that I don't feel I have to justify any absence. My manager and colleagues are aware of my situation, and they don't mind if I have to use the phone and office time for personal calls. This makes such a difference to me and my Mum." On top of her work and caring roles, Lisa has also been able to study for a certificate in Information & Technology with the Open University.

Keith Edwards and Jane Darley are married with two children, Charlotte (9) and Lucy (8). Charlotte has Cerebellar Hypoplasia and Microcephaly. This syndrome affects Charlotte's cerebellum, which controls her muscle coordination. Although Charlotte can crawl, she is unable to balance and can't currently walk unassisted or coordinate her movements well. Charlotte goes to a charity-run school during term time. Working for BT means Keith and Jane are able to work flexibly (and often from home).

This helps enormously, they say, because they can coordinate collecting the girls from school if one of them needs to go to a meeting. This flexibility is a lifesaver during school holidays, when Charlotte is not in school.

"Culturally, BT as an organisation is understanding and supportive," says Keith. "If Jane and I weren't working for a flexible employer, we'd have much bigger problems."

Working with Carers UK, BT was also a founder member of Employers for Carers, whose key purpose is to ensure that employers have the support to retain employees with caring responsibilities. BT is the Chair of Employers for Carers, and together with the other founding organisations is committed to:

• Providing advice and support for employers seeking to develop carer-friendly policies and practices and to retain skilled workers.
• Identifying and promoting the business benefits of supporting carers in the workplace.
• Influencing government and employment policy and practice to create a culture which supports working carers.

BT's engagement with government is a key part of our commitment to promote the benefits of employing carers.

As part of Employers for Carers, we worked with government to help them understand the benefits of organisations being carer friendly. This led to the promotion through Parliament of the Carers Rights Bill in 2005.

Following this, the Government were able to recommend and adopt the extension of the right to request flexible working to people with caring responsibilities. BT was then asked to be joint Chair of The Government taskforce which informed on the development and launch of the UK National Carers Strategy. We are now in discussions with government about the provision of Eldercare Vouchers and the improvement of local services.

In summary, I am very proud of what BT has achieved with Carers UK, Employers for Carers and Government to create an environment where our people can not only balance their work and home commitments, but make real choices about continuing their career, accessing the world of work, or selecting the right local services to meet their family's needs.

Providing a voice for carers (and just a little increased flexibility) helps us attract and retain essential skills, increase our productivity, cut costs, and release the real potential of our organisation. The only question to ask other employers is, why aren't you doing it?

Caroline is the Co-Chair of the UK Prime Minister's National Strategy for Carers In Employment Task Force.

Caroline speaks at carer conferences around the world, and regularly contributes advice and guidance to government and industry through employer forums and working parties.

Her work was recognised last September when she was placed 5th in Personnel Today magazine's top 40 Power Players List.