Caregiving as a Workforce Issue

Work-life balance is something we all strive for, but the word “balance” implies the existence of two separate planes, one work and one life. Research within the last several years has started to show us that we can’t always keep those as separate as we would like.

Stress at home can create poor psychological and physical well-being, which in turn negatively affects the performance of an organization. We cannot, despite some of our best efforts, fully compartmentalize stress, and those stressors in our everyday life boil over into work life.

The role of caregiving can amplify this type of stress. It places additional administrative and emotional tolls on those providing the care—tolls that show up in the workplace, whether we like it or not.

The Impact on Well-Being

Caregiving, whether for a younger person or older adult, can cause a caregiver to feel depleted and less emotionally resilient. It’s a job that comes with complicated emotions and logistics that take up time and mental space, all while caregivers are required to engage in their professional work.

Emotional exhaustion is a common result of feeling overwhelmed and increases the risk of burnout in all aspects of life, especially at work.

How Caregiving Shows Up at Work

Even if they might hide it well, it is possible to spot a caregiver at work. They might be more distracted, mentally not quite present in their work, or they might have more frequent schedule disruptions, like showing up later or having to dip out early.

Stress and fatigue also show in the workplace. When an employee is stressed or overly tired, their performance can change.

Why This Matters for Organizations

A burnt-out employee, one who is distracted and has too many things to focus on, has a different experience of the workplace. The burden of caregiving can affect the productivity and retention rates of an organization, altering the organizational culture in ways that don’t often benefit the individual or the workplace.

The Opportunity

Employers, as much as they might want to, cannot fix the challenges of caregiving. And while they can’t take away the coordination and administrative work, they can ease the emotional toll.

Employers have the means and opportunity to help their employees navigate caregiving with less stress and greater confidence. Programs like Uprise ParentHood and Uprise AgeWell work to provide caregivers with the full support they need through those challenges.

As caregiving responsibilities continue to grow, organizations have an opportunity to rethink how they support employees through life’s most demanding seasons.