A variety of social shifts — women’s workforce participation, evolving family structures, our aging population, and a focus on diversity and inclusion — have elevated the need for benefits that support working moms, dads, and caregivers, according to Rachel Schacht, manager at Business Group on Health. Over 40 million people in the U.S. are caring for an adult family member, around 60 percent of which are employed. Schacht shares how offering family-friendly benefits like paid leave and flexible work arrangements are ways to be there for employees in moments that matter.
Rachel Schacht
Manager, Business Group on Health
Over 40 million people in the U.S. are caring for an adult family member, around 60 percent of which are employed. What effect can this responsibility have on both the employee and employer?
We rely heavily on unpaid caregivers in the United States. As more employees assume the second shift of caring for a loved one, we must all understand the impacts on individuals and businesses. The demands of caregiving range from complex legal, financial, or health care decisions to daily tasks like household chores, transportation, and emotional support. The new role comes with moments of joy and compassion. It also brings exhaustion, stress, financial challenges, and strained relationships. Conflicts between work and caregiving can be detrimental to career progression, decrease productivity, and cause employees to leave the workforce. The good news is that flexible, innovative benefits make a real difference.
What types of benefits can be offered to employees to help them with their caregiving duties?
Leave, flexible schedules, and telework can give employees the time they need to manage work and caregiving responsibilities. In fact, our Leave Strategy and Transformation Survey indicated over a third of large employers have paid caregiver leave, and another 28 percent are considering it for 2021-2022. Care coordination services that help employees navigate their new caregiving role is another valuable, time-saving benefit being embraced by employers.
Ultimately, the right mix of benefits depends on unique workforce and business needs. We encourage employers to comprehensively review benefits with caregivers in mind, considering what’s currently available that can be expanded to address caregiver needs and identifying gaps in support. Lastly, employers are well-positioned to play a large role in normalizing the conversation about caregiving.
With the current aging population, what trends do you think we will see five years down the road when it comes to paid leave, caregivers, and its connection to employee well-being?
Large employers are leading the way in expanding leave benefits and offering solutions that address the root causes of work-care conflicts because they understand more working women and men will be caregivers. In the future, employers and employees alike will look to technology and flexibility to reshape how we live and work. We must aim for triple wins: changes that are good for individuals, good for business, and good for our society.