Why Employers Should Care About Employees Who Are Caregivers (Part 2)

In our previous blog post, we talked about why some workers caring for children with special needs may require more health care and lose time and focus at work. But demanding caregiving needs are not just limited to parents of children with special needs.

An increasing number of employees are now also caring for older adults. In fact, nearly 55 million Americans care for an older adult, and 42% of workers reported caring for an older loved one within the last five years. (1)

Research from the MetLife Mature Market Institute and National Alliance for Caregiving (2) revealed the following:

• Each year, employers lose up to $33.6 billion in lost productivity as a result of full-time workers having to provide care to older adults.
• Employers lose an average of $2,110 annually per each full-time employed caregiver.
• The costs are due to employee replacement, absenteeism, partial absenteeism (coming in late, leaving work early), workday interruptions, eldercare crises, supervisor time (supervisors spending more time at work), unpaid leave*, and workers going from full-time to part-time.

*The Family and Medical Leave Act entitles eligible employees to job-protected, unpaid leave for a certain number of days per year. However, employers still have to pay for temporary employees and reassignments.

General population trends show that the aging Baby Boomer generation will continue to require care from loved ones, including those who work full-time or part-time. And many workers experience a knowledge gap when it comes to managing and paying for care.


Employers do not have to feel dismayed by these trends, however. Besides promoting meaningful discussion between managers and employees about balancing caregiving with work, employers can make good use of tools already in their possession: benefits. Benefits are used to attract and retain employees by providing assistance or solutions such as group insurance, EAP and Work/Life programs, and retirement options. Caregiving is a major concern for workers today, and companies should consider how to leverage their benefits to address this growing need.

How Employers Can Provide Support to Workers Who Are Caregivers

The good news is that employers can take two meaningful steps to help control costs related to caregiving.

1. Promote employer-sponsored benefits to reduce the burden of caregiving and help workers get back on track.

Many employees are unaware of benefits or aspects of certain benefits that could help with their caregiving needs. When your organization has a chance, try to review how your benefits are being used. Are employees who are caregivers taking advantage of the programs provided? After an assessment, try to schedule seminars or orientations about how the following benefits can be leveraged to help with caregiving:

• Information, referral, and educational programs
• Flextime, telecommuting, and job-sharing options
• Caregiver support groups
• Respite care programs or adult day services
• Long-term care insurance

2. Remember that Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) and Work/Life services are valuable resources.

Employees may not feel comfortable talking to their managers about the factors that are affecting their performance at work, but they may feel safer discussing issues with an impartial professional outside of their company. EAP provides just that—a confidential service in which a trained professional talks to an employee over the phone about any personal and work issues. EAP counselors listen with a sympathetic ear and can provide referrals for further counseling, if needed.

Work/Life services are another platform that can assist employees struggling with caregiving issues. Work/Life professionals conduct research and provide referrals for the employee, identifying local care options, such as day care centers, in-home services, nursing homes, and geriatric care managers. They can also help the employee with other concerns of daily life, such as finding pet sitters or gift shopping, so that employees have less on their plate and can focus on high-priority issues.

Employers should not underestimate the impact of caregiving on their workforce. After all, it is an issue that touches everyone at some point. As Rosalynn Carter once said:

There are only four kinds of people in the world: those who have been caregivers, those who are caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers.

To listen to a recording about this topic in more detail and with expert panelists, please visit this link.

--by Joanna Kim and Martha Harrison

Joanna Kim is a Writer and Content Strategist for HRI.

Martha Harrison, MPH is HRI’s Senior Content Strategist and specializes in workplace health and wellness and family care issues.


References

(1) Families and Work Institute. 2008 National Study of the Changing Workforce. “The Elder Care Study: Everyday Realities and Wishes for Change.” 2010.

(2) MetLife Mature Market Institute and National Alliance for Caregiving. “The MetLife Caregiving Cost Study: Productivity Losses to U.S. Businesses.” July 2006.