Family care and finding balance between work and care | Different Thinking Podcast #26 with family care broker Kim Dirkse

In episode #26 of the Anders Denken Podcast, Kim Dirkse, informal care broker at MantelzorgNL and advisor at the Werk&Mantelzorg foundation, talks about the increasingly relevant topic of informal care. Kim shares insights on how organizations can better deal with employees who provide care to a loved one and how the combination of work and informal care can be made easier.

What is informal care?

"Mantel care is unpaid, long-term care for a loved one with whom you have an emotional connection," says Kim. There are as many as five million informal caregivers in the Netherlands, including 2.4 million working informal caregivers who combine both their jobs and care obligations. Kim emphasizes that informal care is often wrongly linked to care for the elderly, when in reality it encompasses a wide range of care situations, such as for care-intensive children or partners.

The impact on work and organizations

Combining work and family care is a challenge that is often not recognized enough within companies. "It all starts with making informal care negotiable in the workplace," says Kim. "If an employer provides space for an open conversation, ways to combine work and care can be explored together." Kim explains that employers often fear all kinds of demands from employees, but that most family caregivers actually need understanding and flexibility, not necessarily more leave. "Research shows that 89% of employees who discuss their informal care situation experience a better balance between work and care."

How organizations can help

Kim Dirkse gives employers several practical tips for supporting the topic of family care within their organization. "It starts with information. For example, the employer can share information about where employees can go for help or facilitate a family care broker," Kim says. She also stresses the importance of creating a culture of awareness. "The impact of informal care is often underestimated. Many employees don't want to talk about informal care for fear of social stigma or career issues, but by making it discussable, you create space for recognition."

Want to know more about informal care?

Curious about Kim's valuable insights on how to deal as an employer with an employee who also provides informal care? Then listen below to episode #26 of the Different Thinking Podcast.