A majority of employees have a second full-time job – one that has no pay, no benefits, and all too often, no support. These individuals are caregivers, and whether employers realize it or not, many are working within their organizations.
The toll of caregiving
The word “caregiver” may elicit a particular image, but it’s a role more common than many realize. Each year, 53 million people are providing informal, usually unpaid, care and support to aging family members and people of all ages with disabilities (including mental health conditions). At the same time, at least 2.7 million grandparents (and an unknown number of other relative caregivers) carry the primary responsibility for caring for grandchildren whose parents are unable to do so. Imagine how greater the numbers are when you add in working parents, those caring for relatives or other loved ones in their lives.
Long days, inflexible hours, sparse resources, and stress are typical factors that often lead to caregiver burnout. When adding on the desire to perform well in their careers, it is no wonder these employees are impacted by mental, physical, and financial health challenges. Fortunately, employers have the ability to make a significant difference.
Identifying caregivers in your organization
It begins with first seeing employees as people and understanding there is more to each of their lives beyond their job functions. They have unique home lives, personal circumstances, family dynamics, and priorities that sometimes make it difficult to show up as their best selves every day. Furthermore, sharing individual challenges can sometimes create fears of compromising professional growth or being perceived differently. To determine what resources will make a real difference, the first question to ask is a simple one:
Who are the caregivers on your team?
According to Care Coach Dyneshea Greer, “‘Care’ means a lot of things to a lot of people. No two situations are the same. Even in similar circumstances, what supports one person may not be the solution for the next. But feeling seen and feeling heard as a caregiver is always a good place to start.”
In listening to employees, you’ll quickly discover that the term “caregiver” can take on many faces. It could look like:
- Caring for children at home of all ages
- Caring for aging parents, whether near or afar
- Caring for ailing and disabled loved ones
- Maneuvering difficult family dynamics and scenarios
- Navigating a personal care journey
An opportunity to provide meaningful support
Ultimately, anyone who is caring for a loved one (or themselves) is a caregiver, and each unique caregiving journey is susceptible to a variety of stressors that can ultimately impact their ability to remain present in the workplace. Compounded over time or with multiple employees, team effectiveness and productivity can be significantly hampered, which can lead to time wasted, lack of results, and the bottom line suffering.
To alleviate the pressure, different support measures may include:
- Receiving viable options for childcare and backup care
- Resources for navigating end-of-life care and estate planning
- Therapy and community support referrals
- Healthcare provider checklists
Providing tailored support for every individual’s unique circumstances may seem out of reach as an employer, but with Cariloop, it’s possible. We are ready to help by providing personalized guidance with our team of Care Coaches who can help ensure no employee goes through caregiving alone.