Abbey has introduced an an emergency care service for its 16,000 staff to access carers for children and elderly dependents at the last minute.
The bank, which is part of the Santander group, will provide staff with access to a twenty-four hour database of contacts through which they will be able to source emergency childcare, out of school care and eldercare services.
The service will be available you all staff from 15 October and is the first of a number of new initiatives to be offered by Abbey, aimed at boosting its flexible working and work-life balance offering for employees.
Annette Lawson, policy and diversity, Abbey said: "Breakdown in care is one of the most stressful things for an employee to deal with. From our employee feedback, we pinpointed this as one area in which we could provide a service for the carers which will help them in their day-to-day lives.”
The bank will provide three packages to its workforce, covering emergency childcare, out of school care and emergency homecare, which will provide immediate access to certified and accredited carers for unexpected periods of care.
Staff access the carers through My Family Care and pay for the childcare themselves. Childcare vouchers can be used.
The scheme is provided by My Family Care.
