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James Townsend has learned from his mother’s experience of having multiple sclerosis (MS) — an autoimmune condition that affects the brain and spinal cord — just how complex it can be to care for somebody.
The day-to-day practicalities of physically caring for someone can occupy “a lot of mental and emotional space,” says Townsend, who is cofounder and CEO of Mobilise, an online service offering support for unpaid carers. For many carers, their duties can also offer a sense of purpose and allow them to feel closer to their loved ones.
Here, James gives his tips for founders on how to balance caring responsibilities with running a startup.
Have a strong team in place
Part of a carer’s responsibility is being able to drop everything at a moment’s notice; when the call comes, you need to be able to act quickly. Build a strong senior team around you that is capable of running the show in the hours when you’re not there. Have at least one or two close confidants in your senior team that you know can make decisions in your absence.
Additionally, structure your teams so that nothing is ever completely dependent on one person so if that person is absent, things can resume as usual. For example, if there is an ongoing project, make sure more than one person knows what’s going on and has access to the files; when it comes to crucial software like data reporting or an HR system, make sure that more than one person knows how to use it.
Have flexible work policies
To make the above possible, you need to have flexible work policies. Having an organisation where it’s acceptable to work from home or to work flexible hours makes balancing caring and work much more manageable for you and your employees. Quite a few members of our team work part-time, for example, and we’ve found that has opened up opportunities to hire impressive talent who bring personal experience of caring to the business.
Create clear boundaries
If you are out of office caring for someone, be clear with your colleagues about whether you are going to be reachable during this time. If you are going to be somewhat reachable, be clear about the matters that you do and don’t want to be interrupted for. It’s helpful to post a message to the team on Slack to explain this.
Create space to talk about it
As a founder, you have to set an example to your employees by being open — as far as is comfortable — about your caring responsibilities and the emotional impact that can have on you, to encourage the rest of the team to do the same. Create space for people to share those things in weekly team meetings.
Building a culture sensitive to the needs of carers involves modelling the kind of support you would like to see reciprocated.
- If someone is taking a day out, ask them ‘What do you need from me?’, to give that person the opportunity to ask for support if they need it.
- If someone has had a couple of days out to care for someone, be mindful they might not be ‘back’ 100% by the time they are in the office again as they might still be processing things mentally. Caring for someone can be difficult emotionally; sometimes you see people at their most vulnerable.
- Encourage your colleagues to sensitively check in with each other — and to be mindful that not everyone will want to talk about it. There are times when I lean on my cofounder after a stressful period and feel comforted knowing we can have open conversations about how I’m feeling.
The benefit of being open about your caring responsibilities also means that people will be more understanding about times when you, as the founder, need to dip out for the day.
Be clear with investors
Be upfront with investors about your caring responsibilities — and those of your team — and how you manage it with running the business to dispel any nagging concerns they may have. Demonstrating proactively that you’ve spotted this potential ‘risk’ but you have a plan for ensuring it doesn’t impact the business is attractive to investors. This also goes back to having strong HR policies that you can point to, whereby people are able to talk about their caring responsibilities, feel there’s support available and can work flexibly to manage their workload.
Ask for support
Having explicit conversations is valuable. There are three groups every founder should be having a conversation with, particularly if you have caring responsibilities: family, friends and colleagues. Be clear on what kind of support you need; for example, if you’re not looking for advice and just want someone to listen, tell the person. If needed, founders should also seek the support of an independent party such as a therapist or executive.
On the topic of support, depending on where you live you may be entitled to government support if you're a carer — so look into it. For example, the recently introduced Carer’s Allowance in the UK could help early-stage founders who may have a limited salary.
On the subject of…caring responsibilities
1. How to care for carers. Here’s how employers can support employees with caring responsibilities.
2. Attitudes towards gender and care. Here’s why carers — particularly women — are more likely to miss out on job opportunities.
3. Strategies for managing burnout. Managing one’s mental health as a carer and entrepreneur is essential for keeping all plates spinning.
This article first appeared in Sifted’s Startup Life newsletter. Want more stories like this? Sign up here.
