Juggling work, kids, and aging parents is a reality for millions of employees in the “sandwich generation.” These caregivers are stretched thin, balancing child care, doctor appointments, household tasks, and work deadlines with little time for themselves. The stress doesn’t just impact their personal well-being – it spills over into the workplace, affecting focus, productivity, and retention.
Below we’ll explore the challenges the sandwich generation faces and highlight the caregiving benefits employers can offer to create a more supportive and productive work environment.
What is the sandwich generation?
The “sandwich generation” refers to adults caring for aging parents (or other family members) while raising their children. About 23% of U.S. adults fall into this category, with people in their 40s most likely sandwiched between these dual responsibilities. More than half of this age group has a parent over 65 while also financially supporting a child.
Understanding sandwich generation stress
Balancing work while caring for both children and aging parents isn’t just exhausting – it impacts focus, finances, and well-being. Here’s how this strain shows up at work:
Time constraints: A manager helps their parent with medications, rushes to drop their kids off, and barely makes it to an early meeting, frazzled and distracted. Juggling it all can lead to difficulty focusing and increased absenteeism.
Financial strain: Covering a parent’s medical bills and a child’s tuition can drain retirement savings, pushing employees to seek higher-paying roles or work excessive hours, leading to burnout. On average, 48% of working parents are providing some sort of financial support to their grown children, while 27% are their primary support. Additionally, 25% are financially supporting their parents as well.
Family tensions: Sibling disagreements over a parent’s care or financial contributions can add stress, making it difficult for employees to focus or collaborate at work.
Emotional overload: Approximately 6 million senior caregivers are caring for a loved one from a distance, which can add a layer of stress and constant phone calls. In fact, 47% of long-distance senior caregivers report emotional distress.
Cultural expectations: In some cultures, caregiving is a given, making it harder for employees to seek support or set boundaries. This silent strain can erode engagement and productivity.
The impact on employees and employers
When employees feel overwhelmed by caregiving responsibilities, their work performance suffers. Productivity drops, stress rises, and absenteeism increases. Some sandwich-gen employees leave the workforce altogether – not because they want to, but because they feel they have no choice. This translates into higher turnover and lost productivity costs.
How employers can help
A compassionate and empathetic workplace that supports caregiving employees increases loyalty, engagement, and long-term retention. Here’s how employers can alleviate sandwich-generation employees’ everyday stress:
Build a Culture of Care
Creating a culture of care starts with recognizing that many employees are juggling dual caregiving roles. Employers can foster an environment where employees feel understood and valued by raising awareness about the unique challenges of the sandwich generation. A workplace that openly acknowledges and discusses caregiving responsibilities helps employees feel more supported and less isolated in their struggles.
Managers also play a critical role in ensuring caregiving employees receive the right support. Training leadership to recognize signs of caregiver burnout and respond with empathy can make a significant difference. When managers understand the pressures their employees face, they can provide accommodations, encourage the use of available resources, and create an atmosphere of trust and flexibility.
Provide Tangible Support
Employers can also alleviate stress for sandwich-generation employees by offering practical benefits and resources that can help, such as:
- Backup care
- Caregiver support solutions
- Paid family leave
- Caregiving stipends
- Mental health benefits
- Caregiving stipends
How Cariloop supports the sandwich generation
Cariloop meets employees where they are with expert Care Coaches for personalized guidance, a trusted network of vetted in-home care providers, and digital tools and resources for managing daily caregiving tasks. From starting a family to end-of-life care and everything in between, we help lighten the load, so employees can focus on work without the constant stress of juggling it all alone.
Contact us today to learn how Cariloop can help you support your sandwich-generation employees.