Study Finds Supporting Caregivers At Work Benefits Employers

Key Takeaways

• Only 37% of workers identify as caregivers despite widespread responsibilities
• 53% missed work and 48% report lower productivity due to caregiving
• 24% considered leaving jobs because caregiving challenges; 23% switched for better benefits
• 92% of employers back care cost coverage; only 22% of employees aware
• Employers six times more likely to expand than cut caregiving benefits

Pulse Analysis

Caregiving is rapidly becoming a hidden but powerful driver of work patterns across generations. Millennials and Gen Z are especially likely to juggle child and elder care, creating a "sandwich" dynamic that silently reshapes schedules, remote‑work preferences, and overtime expectations. While these responsibilities often go unrecorded in traditional time‑tracking systems, they exert measurable pressure on employee stamina and focus, contributing to the widening stress gap that executives routinely underestimate.

From a business perspective, the cost of unaddressed caregiving is tangible. The report shows that more than half of employees have missed work or experienced productivity dips directly linked to care duties, translating into millions of lost labor hours for mid‑size firms alone. Moreover, 24% of workers have contemplated exiting the labor force, and 23% have already switched employers for superior family‑care benefits. Companies that proactively provide child‑care subsidies, elder‑care navigation, or flexible scheduling not only mitigate these losses but also unlock a competitive advantage in talent acquisition, as 85% of respondents say caregiving benefits influence job‑change decisions.

The path forward requires both policy and communication upgrades. While 92% of employers acknowledge a role in covering care costs, only a fraction of employees are aware of the benefits on offer, highlighting a critical awareness gap. Leaders should embed caregiving considerations into performance metrics, train managers to recognize and support care‑related challenges, and leverage technology platforms that streamline benefit enrollment. By making caregiving visible and valued, organizations can transform a hidden liability into a catalyst for higher engagement, reduced turnover, and sustained productivity in the evolving workplace landscape.