Unum UK has enhanced its support for its employees who are unpaid carers by partnering with eldercare specialists Lottie to offer comprehensive eldercare support.
More than 900 Unum employees can now access vital information and advice on caring for their elderly dependents through the Lottie platform.
In January the benefits provider updated its carers leave policy to offer employees with caring responsibilities up to five days of paid leave a year. This is more than the statutory requirement, introduced on 6 April, 2024, which entitles all carers in employment to take five days of unpaid leave a year.
Sandwich generation
More than a third (35 percent) of employees who identified themselves as the sandwich generation (those potentially caring for both children and elderly parents) have called for employers to create a specific support programme for them. The survey, conducted by Opinium and commissioned by Unum in 2022, showed that 35 percent of this group of employees wanted employers to provide signposting to external care.
Unum’s partnership with Lottie means its employees can access comprehensive eldercare support and find vital information and advice on caring for elderly dependents.
The benefits provider said the new partnership emphasises Unum’s determination to foster an inclusive and supportive workplace environment that recognises the needs of employees throughout different life stages.
Lottie’s Seniorcare service combines healthcare expertise and accessible technology to create an eldercare solution. The service, founded in 2021, enables users to compare care homes and providers to find the right care solutions for them.
Care specialists from the service can provide 1-2-1 support and guidance for users throughout their journey. This can help alleviate the emotional burden and provide more information to understand, find and fund care for loved ones.
Jane Hulme, HR director at Unum UK, said: “Connecting Lottie’s eldercare expertise with Unum’s culture of putting people at the heart of employee benefits helps make sure the caregivers among our workforce can be fully present and thrive at work.
“With five generations in the modern workforce and a growing number in the ‘sandwich generation’, we want to nurture and retain the best talent through different stages of their working life to enable them all to thrive.”
