A carer-friendly workplace - Suncorp gains level 2 accreditation
Just two years into our mission to becoming a more carer friendly workplace, Suncorp has gained level 2 accreditation with the Carers + Employers Program.
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With carers spending significant amounts of time providing valuable unpaid support, Suncorp has been working with our partners Carers NSW for ideas on how to step up our game when it comes to carer recognition, inclusion and support in the workplace.
Nearly one in five of our people identify as carers (18.5%), outside of those who provide parental care (which makes up three-quarters of our team).
And when COVID-19 struck, carers were challenged with providing more care than ever before, reporting higher levels of anxiety, frustration, and exhaustion.
The Carers + Employers Program, provided by Carers NSW, helps orgnisations to support employees with caring responsibilities, and offers three levels of accreditation, recognising certain standards.
At the end of 2020, we were the first national employer accredited in Australia as a carer friendly workplace, attaining level 1.
"Having a supportive employer has helped me look after my wellbeing"
“Before joining Suncorp, my partner was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer.
"As his primary carer, I made a commitment that before starting a full-time job, I would continue to provide the absolute best care I could and juggle any work responsibilities.
"Every day is a blessing. Every day that I can care for my partner will be another day I am able to kick goals and succeed at work."
Group Diversity & Inclusion Manager Catherina Behan said the team made quick progress from level 1 to level 2 to support our community of carers who’ve had the added complexity of navigating their responsibilities through significant uncertainty and change in recent years.
“We are committed to creating a supportive culture where employees feel comfortable disclosing their caring responsibilities, where they can learn from shared experiences, access external research, and grow a community of peers," Ms Behan said.
“We understand for many carers, the care of another person takes precedence over their own health and wellbeing. So, a big focus of ours has been beyond just creating special leave options so they can balance caring with work, but creating resources where they can look after themselves too.
"We have an employee resource group for carers and have hosted a number of webinars, so they have a safe space to talk about their day to day and know they’re not alone.
“There is always more to be done, but level 2 accreditation is great recognition for this work.”
Our sights are set on reaching level 3 accreditation by 2024.
#A carer-friendly workplace
Suncorp has partnered with Carers NSW in Australia and CareWise in New Zealand to continue to support and develop carer-friendly practices for our people.
Suncorp’s Employee Resources Group "enAble" supports employees with disability and accessibility requirements, carers and their supporters.
Dedicated education sites, webinars, learning pathways, and leader-specific resources exist to support all Suncorp employees.
Carers have access to flexible working options and additional leave.
