How employers can support caregivers coping with increased responsibilities

Nearly 23 million Americans work full- or part-time while caring for an ill or disabled parent, spouse, or child. That number climbed further as the pandemic closed schools and childcare facilities, leaving even more employees juggling work and caregiving at once.

Supporting caregivers in the workplace isn’t just a compassionate move — it directly affects retention, engagement, and productivity. Here’s what employers, including those managing teams across Florida’s growing senior population, can do to build caregiver-friendly workplace policies that actually work.

Why Workplace Flexibility Matters for Caregivers

Flexible work arrangements make a measurable difference for employees balancing a job with caregiving duties. Guardian’s Workforce 2020: Meeting the Benefit Needs of Today’s Diverse Workforce in a Changed World report found that 72% of caregivers rank flexibility and empathy from their employer as “highly important,” compared to 53% of non-caregivers.¹

Two flexible work options for caregivers stand out as especially effective:

Remote Work Options

Many employees shifted to remote work during COVID-19. Offering it as a long-term arrangement — not just a pandemic-era exception — gives caregivers ongoing flexibility to manage both roles.

Flexible Work Schedules

A standard nine-to-five schedule doesn’t always match a caregiver’s demands. Full-time caregivers spend an average of nine hours per week on caregiving duties; part-time workers who caregive spend over 16 hours a week. Flexible scheduling helps employees manage these responsibilities alongside health, transportation, or family needs.

Enhanced Employee Benefits for Caregivers

Caregivers lean on workplace benefits more heavily than non-caregivers. In fact, 67% of caregivers say they’d face financial hardship without workplace benefits, compared to 47% of non-caregivers.

Employers can strengthen their support through the following workplace benefits for caregivers:

• Paid time off (PTO). Consolidating PTO into a single leave category gives employees more flexibility to use time off whenever caregiving needs arise.
• Clear, inclusive leave policies. Provide clarity around protected leave, including FMLA and applicable state-specific family leave laws.
• EEOC-aligned practices. Reinforce nondiscrimination policies that prevent unlawful disparate treatment of employees with caregiving responsibilities.
• Virtual healthcare access. Telehealth and teledentistry expand access to medical and dental care, which is especially valuable for time-strapped caregivers.
• Well-being resources. Employee assistance programs (EAPs), counseling services, and health savings accounts (HSAs) support caregivers’ mental health and financial stability.

Building Organization-Wide Support for Caregivers

Many caregivers stay quiet about their responsibilities. Nearly half haven’t told their employer, worried it could hurt their career. Building a culture of openness and empathy reduces that stigma and helps organizations better understand caregivers’ needs.

A few ways to build that culture:

1. Empower managers to offer flexibility. When direct managers can approve flexible schedules or arrangements, support extends to every level of the organization.
2. Create an employee resource group (ERG) for caregivers. An ERG gives caregiving employees a shared network and access to resources on adult care, child daycare, assistance programs, and in-home care.
3. Encourage leaders to share their own caregiving stories. When leadership speaks openly about caregiving, it normalizes the conversation and reduces stigma across the organization.