Caregiving and the workplace
For many working caregivers, care responsibilities impact their daily work in significant ways and can even drive them out of the workforce. Companies have an important role to play in supporting workers who are caring for a loved one.
There are 820,000 family caregivers in Washington state. According to AARP, most family caregivers are employed at some point during their caregiving experience and on average, employed caregivers work the equivalent of a full-time job. 65% say their caregiving situation is moderately or highly stressful, and most say their care responsibilities have impacted their work in some way.
- 53% say they have to go in late, leave early, or take time off to provide care
- 15% report reducing their hours
- 8% received a warning about their performance or attendance
- 7% turned down a promotion
It’s also common for family caregivers to leave the workforce early to provide care. Caregivers 50 and older who do this lose an average of more than $300,000 in wages and benefits – a number that’s even higher for women.
Employers might not even know employees are struggling to balance care responsibilities with their work. About a third of working caregivers say their supervisor isn’t aware of their caregiving situation. These workers may worry their employer will see them as less committed to their jobs or pass them over for opportunities to advance their career.
According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), businesses can help working caregivers with support like providing flexible schedules and work locations, offering counseling services through employee assistance program benefits, sharing lists of free resources for caregivers and facilitating support groups. SHRM also recommends company leaders and HR staff create a supportive culture by talking about the value of caregiving.
In the future, Washingtonians who provide care for loved ones will be able to access support through the WA Cares Fund. You’ll be able to use your WA Cares Fund benefits to make a loved one (even a spouse) your paid caregiver. You can also use your benefit to get respite care so your unpaid family caregivers can take a break or get caregiver training and other resources for your loved one. You get to choose the benefits that will be most helpful for you and your family.
When working caregivers succeed, it positively impacts the entire team. Providing resources and support for family caregivers is an essential part of creating a workplace culture where everyone can thrive.