When employers are considering issues that may impact their employee’s performance, attendance or wellbeing it is unlikely that homelessness would be one of the first issues to come to mind. However, some homeless households do have a member in full time employment.
Homelessness is a complex issue with many causes but one that employers may wish to be alert to, not only from an employee welfare perspective but because employees who are stressed or worried may find it more difficult to be productive at work. But what can employers do to help employees who are homeless or at risk of homelessness?
Steps could include:
- Making sure managers can recognise homelessness and raising awareness of the issue within the management team
Whilst homelessness is often thought of in terms of people sleeping rough, it covers a broad range of living circumstances including ‘hidden homelessness’ where people live in uninhabitable or insecure conditions, such as sleeping on the couches of friends. It’s important for managers to be able to recognise homelessness and to have an awareness of the challenges an employee in that situation can face. This can help managers to support employees in the workplace and if there are any employment issues, such as an effect on performance, take this into account to ensure that any action taken is reasonable in the circumstances.
- Create a culture of openness
If employees feel they will be listened to and supported, they are more likely to share any concerns they have and to reach out for help if they need it. Feeling supported in the workplace whilst facing a serious issue such as homelessness can make a real difference to an employee’s wellbeing.
- Providing practical support to help an employee secure accommodation
How much practical support a business is able or prepared to give will vary, as will each employee’s individual needs. If you are considering practical ways of helping an employee it could include actions such as being flexible in allowing the employee to use holiday at shorter notice to seek accommodation or attend meetings with housing organisations, allowing an employee to use a private space during their breaks to make phone calls to organisations who can assist with their housing needs or allow the employee to use the company internet/computer to search for accommodation or obtain housing advice.
- Signposting external sources of support
If an employee is homeless or facing homelessness, it’s important that they get the specialist advice and support they need. Employees may not know where to turn for this so it may be a good idea for managers to be able to signpost some external sources of support, whether local or national.
If you have any employment law matters you would like to discuss, please do not hesitate to contact Kingfisher Professional Services Ltd as we are happy to help.