It Starts with You
Caregiving isn’t just a personal responsibility—it’s a workplace issue. Employees balancing work and caregiving face stress, financial strain, and exhaustion, leading to lost productivity, increased healthcare costs, and higher turnover. Yet, most benefits packages fail to offer clear, actionable support for this growing workforce challenge.
If you work in healthcare, education, childcare, social services, or nonprofits, you already know these industries run on compassion, commitment, and resilience. But what happens when the people holding everything together are struggling at home? It’s time to rethink how we support caregivers in the workplace.
Caregiving Stress Costs More Than You Think
More than 53 million Americans are unpaid caregivers, with nearly 42 million caring for someone over 50. Between 2015 and 2020, the number of family caregivers grew by 22%, yet most workplaces remain unprepared to support them.
- $13 billion in lost productivity – U.S. businesses lose this amount every year due to caregiving-related presenteeism.
- 50% higher healthcare costs – Employees experiencing caregiving stress are more likely to suffer from chronic health issues.
- Increased turnover risk – Caregivers are twice as likely to leave a job when workplace support is lacking.
For mid-sized businesses, this isn’t just a statistic—it’s a daily reality. If a key employee is suddenly unavailable due to a caregiving crisis, the impact is immediate. Productivity dips, deadlines slip, and stress levels rise. Unlike large corporations with extensive resources, mid-sized organizations can’t easily absorb these disruptions.
Why Traditional Benefits Packages Fall Short
Most benefits packages focus on parental leave and childcare while overlooking the needs of adult caregivers. But caregiving for an aging parent, spouse, or family member doesn’t have a defined start or end date—it’s unpredictable, emotionally exhausting, and often spans years.
You may have seen it firsthand:
- A high performer starts missing meetings or stepping out for urgent calls.
- A dedicated employee frequently leaves early and struggles to stay focused.
- A longtime team member resigns unexpectedly, saying they “just can’t manage it all anymore.”
Unlike new parents, family caregivers don’t have a happy milestone to look forward to. Instead, they navigate progressive decline, difficult decisions, and constant uncertainty—all while trying to hold onto their job.
When companies fail to support caregiving employees, it’s not just the caregiver who suffers—the entire organization does.
The Hidden Costs of Ignoring Caregiving Employees
- Rising Healthcare Costs – Caregiving stress impacts physical and mental health, increasing medical claims, absenteeism, and long-term disability leave. Stressed employees are more likely to develop chronic conditions, which drive up employer healthcare costs.
- Turnover & Reputation Damage – Employees who feel unsupported are more likely to leave—and they share their experiences. With 84% of job seekers considering company culture before applying, a lack of caregiver support could be hurting recruitment.
- Legal & Compliance Risks – States like California already impose fines for failing to comply with Paid Family Leave laws. More states will follow, making proactive policy updates essential for risk management.
Practical Solutions That Deliver Real ROI
You don’t need a bigger benefits package—you need a smarter one. Here’s how to make existing benefits work better for caregivers:
- Create a Caregiver Benefits Map – Review your current policies and organize them into an easy-to-navigate resource. Many employers offer FMLA, Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), lifestyle spending accounts, and mental health support, but employees don’t always know how to apply these benefits to caregiving situations.
- Train Managers to Recognize Caregiver Struggles – Caregiving isn’t always visible. Educate leadership on how to support employees without stigma. A well-trained manager can help retain a valued employee instead of losing them to burnout.
- Support Flexibility – A study by SHRM found that 89% of HR professionals reported higher retention rates after implementing flexible work policies. Whether it’s adjusted hours, remote work, or job-sharing, flexibility reduces stress and improves engagement.
- Leverage Existing Benefits – Many 401(k) plans, dental insurers, and health plans offer caregiver-specific support. Mapping these resources ensures employees don’t leave valuable benefits untapped.
- Encourage Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) for Caregivers – Companies that support peer-driven caregiver networks see lower turnover and higher engagement. Caregiving is isolating—creating a supportive workplace culture makes a difference.
Why Supporting Caregivers Is a Competitive Advantage
When you invest in caregiver-friendly policies, you gain loyalty, productivity, and stronger team dynamics. Leaders who actively support caregiving employees create a workplace culture that retains experienced professionals and attracts top talent.
Caregivers bring invaluable skills to the workplace:
- Advocacy – Navigating medical, financial, and insurance systems on behalf of a loved one.
- Critical Thinking – Making high-stakes decisions with limited information.
- Conflict Resolution & Persuasion – Managing sensitive conversations under stressful conditions.
These are the same soft skills that drive business success. Companies that retain caregiving employees benefit from this experience every day.
Final Thoughts: Caregiving Support Is a Business Imperative
This isn’t about adding more benefits—it’s about making existing benefits work better for caregivers. Addressing caregiving needs reduces turnover, improves productivity, and strengthens company culture.
Many organizations already have the resources caregivers need—they just don’t know it. That’s where Benefits Mapping comes in.
