Background

Family carers are the principal source of care for those in need of support due to a long-term illness, disability or frailty in the community; it is estimated that this group save the Irish economy about €20 billion through their unpaid duties (CSO 2019). Approximately 13% of the Irish population are carers (CSO 2019). With an ageing population, the demand for care is predicted to soon to exceed supply (Spann et al 2020). Consequently, the act of balancing work with care is gaining traction as an important health, social and economic issue (Spann et al 2020). A supportive work environment may be the remedy to some of the negative impacts often associated with caregiving, such as poor physical and psychological health, financial stain, and in extreme cases, withdrawal the workforce (Spann et al 2020). Provision needs to be made for carers in the workplace to facilitate enhanced outcomes in the spheres of their physical health, mental health, employment and work-life balance as a whole (Spann et al 2020).