‘If my boss wasn't so accommodating, I don't know what I would do’: Workplace supports for carers and the role of line managers and co-workers in mediating informal flexibility

Abstract

Most employees will experience at least one episode of caregiving during their working lives. While work is important for carers' identity and well-being, the increasing complexity of caregiving situations and the often unpredictable needs of care recipients means that working carers may need to informally adjust when, where and how they work. The manner in which this informal flexibility is enacted is not well understood. Using a qualitative research design, this paper provides an insight into employees' experiences of combining work and caregiving and gives voice to working carers and the daily struggles they face. Drawing on the literature on work-family conflict (WFC) theory, signalling theory and flexible working, our research highlights the importance of informal flexibility, and the mediating role of line managers and co-workers in providing access to this flexibility. We identify the enabling mechanisms, or explicit signals of support, through which carer-friendly informal flexibility is enacted, namely: reassurance and pre-emptive support; carer advocacy; and idiosyncratic deal-making (i-deals). We argue that when these enabling mechanisms are in place, WFC is alleviated and attachment to the workforce is facilitated. Where the enabling mechanisms are not accessible, WFC increases and attachment to the workforce is hindered.