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Putting HR on the care agenda
Often regarded as something only needed when things go wrong, if introduced at the right time, proper HR and employment procedures can be of huge benefit to case managers and families caring for a loved one. NR Times speaks to Cecily Lalloo, managing director of Embrace HR, to learn about the positive difference specialist HR advice can make. In making care provision for people living at home with complex injuries, many different parties can be involved - carers, case managers, therapists, family members, medical teams, solicitors. But where does HR come in to the equation? Not often considered alongside the therapy and rehabilitation needed to rebuild someone’s life,
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in its own way, HR can actually be fundamental to this being delivered, because where people are paid to do a job, employment obligations must be met. Through the careful and sensitive handling of defining practices and setting boundaries for those working in a family’s home, the involvement of specialist HR can enable a smooth and professional working relationship between the family and those tasked with delivering care - and often helps to actively avoid the issues which cause litigation to hit problems.
“Managing employees is quite different in a home environment because it’s much easier to cross the boundaries. It’s more relaxed, you will get to know the family and client well, which can then make it difficult for the family to talk to someone they know well and address any issues, or start to take action to address issues,” says Cecily Lalloo, founder and managing director of complex care specialist advisor Embrace HR Limited. “The case manager often relies on the staff or family to bring any issues to their attention, as they may not have day-to-day contact with the care package, and they may only find out about things upsetting the family or the carers at a later stage. But really, we should be considering much earlier how HR can help before matters become more difficult to manage. “You're working with families who may never have thought that they would need to have
