Hong Kong working carers shun family-friendly measures amid stigma fears: study
More than half of working carers in Hong Kong have never used the family-friendly measures offered by their companies, a study has found, sparking calls from experts to change workplace cultures to prevent carers being stigmatised. The findings came even as the study, released on Thursday, also showed carers benefited from measures such as flexible working hours and working from home, which led…
A recent study has revealed that more than half of working carers in Hong Kong have not utilized the family-friendly benefits provided by their employers, leading to calls for changes in workplace culture to prevent stigmatization of caregivers. Despite these measures, such as flexible working hours and remote work, proving beneficial in reducing symptoms of depression and alleviating caregiving burdens, many carers remain hesitant to take advantage of them.
Professor Bobo Lau from Tung Wah College, who led the study, attributed this reluctance to concerns about how colleagues perceive them when they take leave repeatedly for caregiving. He emphasized the necessity for supportive workplace culture, stating that without it, employees will be unwilling to take leave or openly express their needs.
Rebecca Choy Yung, founder of Golden Age Foundation, advocated for transparency in communicating family-friendly policies, suggesting that this could alleviate employees' hesitations in applying for leave. The study surveyed 566 full-time, part-time, or self-employed carers aged 21 to 73 who provide unpaid care for elderly relatives, primarily dealing with chronic illnesses or disabilities.
Among those interviewed, 30 in-depth interviews were conducted. The findings underscore the importance of promoting flexible working arrangements, compressed work weeks, and remote work options to improve employees' well-being and foster a more inclusive workplace culture.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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