Employers

More companies offer paid leave to caregivers Research from Genworth, the National Business Group on Health and MetLife all confirm that caregivers in the workplace are facing challenges ranging from absenteeism, presenteeism and emotional distress to physical health issues and financial burdens. From caring for loved ones with serious health conditions and sick children to maternity and paternity leave and even mental health days, a paid leave program is the mark of many forward-thinking organizations.

[...]by 2040 the percentage of people aged 65 and older will have nearly doubled to nearly 22%, up from 13% in 2010. According to the Families and Work Institute’s 2016 National Study of Employers, 42% of employers offer elder care resource and referral services and 78% provide some amount of either paid or unpaid time off for employees who need to care for aging relatives. [...]25% of all family caregivers are younger millennials and 50% are under the age of 50.

Employers are increasingly finding ways to support workers who are juggling jobs, children, and looking after elderly parents. A new era of flexible working is making life easier for carers. For employers that want to do more, concierge-style support programmes are an avenue to explore.

[...]23% of employees are spending 41 hours or longer each week caring for a relative, according to a new report from the Northeast Business Group on Health. [...]65% of the insurance company’s employees or their relatives using the service received a changed diagnosis. While more than three in five workers in the United States are covered by the Family Medical Leave Act, which guarantees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave, it isn’t possible for most caregivers to lose their salary.

Purpose There is a growing recognition that when employees who are caregivers lack the organizational support/resources to manage their paid work with care responsibilities, it could result in poor job performance, increase absenteeism, and have an impact on their well-being. Very little is known about managers’ perceptions in supporting their employees through workplace initiatives such as caregiver-friendly workplace policies (CFWPs).

Juggling work and care presents particular challenges to carers and employers. Employers are increasingly under pressure, both from within organizations and from recent government legislation and policy, to develop family-friendly policies to support informal carers in the workplace. Yet existing ‘family-friendly’ schemes and services are still primarily designed for working parents of young children and rarely address the needs of employees who care for older or disabled adults.

This ground-breaking report by Government, Employers for Carers and Carers UK, sets out the economic case for supporting the growing number of workers who also care for older or disabled relatives.