you a Carer-friendly Employer?

Unpaid carers play an important role in families, communities and broader society by supporting others to have a better quality of life.

While caring can be extremely rewarding, it can also be stressful and isolating if carers don’t get the support they need. Caring can be physically, psychologically, emotionally and financially difficult, and undertaking caring responsibilities alongside paid work may worsen these difficulties.

Almost a third of working carers in the UK have not discussed their caring role with anyone at their workplace, most commonly because they believed that nothing would change as a result. 600 carers leave their jobs every day because of the pressure of combining work with their caring responsibilities.

By creating a carer-friendly workplace, employers can attract and retain talent and realise the organisational and social benefits of supporting carers.

Carers Trust Heart of England is a charity that supports unpaid carers in Coventry and Warwickshire delivering the service on behalf of Coventry City Council and Warwickshire County Council.

As an employer, you will know just how important it is to keep skilled and experienced staff. Carers Trust Heart of England is here to help you support and retain them. The Carer Friendly Employer Award is designed to support you throughout your journey towards building a positive and inclusive workplace for all staff who are, or who will become carers.

To find out more about our Carer Friendly Employer Award and how we can support your business, email contactus@carerstrusthofe.org.uk or call 024 7663 2972.

If you would like to know more about Carers Trust Heart of England and how you can support us, visit www.carerstrusthofe.org.uk.

Carers Week 2024

Carers Week 2024 is an annual campaign in the United Kingdom that aims to raise awareness of caring and support unpaid carers.

This year, it will take place from Monday, June 10th until Sunday, June 16th, 2024. The theme for this year’s Carers Week is “Putting carers on the map.”

During this campaign, the focus is on highlighting the challenges faced by family and friend carers and recognizing the significant contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK.

We’re holding several events that companies can support or sponsor:

Walk for Carers 9 June Packington Estate. A 4 mile walk around Packington Estate

Carer Information Fair 12 June at Broadstreet Rugby Club 11am-6pm – an information day for carers to find out what support is available to them

Carer Awards 13 June where we recognise the unsung heroes in our community

Collaboration streamlines running of business for Spaghetti Agency

Bosses at an online marketing firm are thrilled with a new collaboration that has helped the business to streamline its processes and truly focus on its clients.

Spaghetti Agency, known for its bold spirit and unique approach, is excited to share the significant impact of teaming up with local IT experts Magnetar IT and using Zoho One software. Staff feel the collaboration has hugely boosted Warwick-based Spaghetti Agency's efficiency and organisation.

Spaghetti Agency’s Co-Director, Todd, described the way the business previously worked, juggling a variety of apps and tools, as being "like holding things together with sticky tape," leading to duplicate data and inefficiencies. Looking for a fix, Spaghetti Agency reached out to Magnetar IT, who recommended Zoho One.

The digital makeover started by smoothly connecting Zoho CRM with Outlook 365 and Vonage. This combination captures every client interaction, making their sales process more efficient, said the agency. They also added Zoho Bookings to simplify scheduling and Zoho Flow to link their website forms with CRM, so they can respond faster to client enquiries.

The company has streamlined its business operations, creating an integrated system. But it's more than just smooth running. This tech upgrade allows Spaghetti Agency to deliver their "Everywhere Package," ensuring their clients stand out across all platforms, from blogs to social media, and email marketing to video podcasts.

Todd, delighted with Zoho's impact, said: "It's saving us thousands; it's paid for itself and more."

Fellow Co-Director, Jo Ciriani, recalls the business before Zoho, stating: "Life was way more chaotic!"