Claire McCartney, Policy and Practice Manager at the CIPD, explores Scotland’s hidden workforce crisis – growing care responsibilities – and urges employers to step-up support for working carers in 2026.
Caring responsibilities are becoming a major challenge for Scotland’s labour market, with an estimated 270,000 people in Scotland balancing paid work with caregiving*. But this juggle is taking its toll, with many workers forced to take time off work to care for loved ones or leave their job entirely due to a lack of flexibility.
This challenge is compounded by insufficient workplace flexibility, with CIPD research revealing that 80,000 workers in Scotland left their jobs last year because they lacked access to flexible working options.
Yet despite the growing number of working carers – a figure expected to rise further as the population ages and long-term illness becomes more prevalent – formal workplace support for carers remains limited. This is often due to employers lacking clarity on how best to support carers, combined with employees’ reluctance to seek help for fear of stigma, career repercussions, or being perceived as less committed.
The new year presents an ideal time for employers to look at ways they can strengthen workplace support for carers. This includes reviewing their policies and promoting a culture of openness with greater flexibility and paid leave, where possible.
Flexibility is key: one in five will become a carer
With one in five employees likely to become a carer during their working life, it is essential for employers to think more creatively about flexible working – not just home or hybrid models – as many workers are in roles that cannot be performed remotely.
The CIPD’s annual Working Lives Scotland report – a survey of over 1,000 Scottish workers – revealed the top three flexible working arrangements employees would like to see offered as follows:
45% of workers want a four-day working week.
26% would like to work compressed hours.
21% would prefer flexi-time arrangements.
Small adjustments can make a big difference
Managers must play their part in helping to normalise conversations around caring by fostering open conversations and creating an environment where employees feel comfortable asking for support, to better balance work and caring responsibilities.
Often, small adjustments can make a big difference – such as helping carers manage peaks in their workload by adjusting deadlines, where possible, or signposting them to useful resources like internal carers’ networks, peer support groups and wellbeing initiatives.
Building a culture where employees feel safe to discuss their caring role not only supports their wellbeing but also strengthens engagement, loyalty, and overall commitment to the organisation.
Carers have rights
Under The Carers Leave Act – legislation which the CIPD helped to inform – carers are now entitled to one week’s unpaid leave within any 12-month period. However, our research shows that nearly half of UK employers (48%) either lack a formal carer’s leave policy or are unaware of having one in place. Employers should review their policies to ensure they are compliant and truly supportive of carers.
In Case You Missed It:
The UK Government is currently reviewing Carers Leave, which the CIPD will contribute to. We have long advocated for paid carer’s leave to better support working carers.
Research by Carers UK estimates that a statutory right to five days of paid carer’s leave could benefit over two million working carers and deliver potential productivity gains of £8.2 billion a year for the UK economy. Currently, the cost of employees leaving work due to caring responsibilities is estimated at £1.3 billion annually – a loss that could be avoided.
By offering carers greater flexibility and paid leave where possible, employers can enable more people to remain in – or return to – work. It’s a win-win solution: boosting productivity, reducing public spending, and supporting families to achieve a better quality of life, which they undoubtedly deserve.
