Providing informal care while juggling work responsibilities can take a toll on employees’ mental health, wellbeing, and productivity. From increased absenteeism to financial strain and hindered career progression, the challenges are real. But here’s the silver lining: organizations have a golden opportunity to step up and make a difference.
As HR professionals dedicated to enhancing employee experience and wellbeing, have you explored the challenges that employees face when balancing work responsibilities with informal caregiving duties? How might these responsibilities be affecting their mental health, job performance, and overall satisfaction at work? It’s crucial to delve into these questions, considering the diverse range of caregiving responsibilities employees may encounter, including caring for aging parents, supporting family members with disabilities, or assisting loved ones with chronic illnesses.
Understanding the Impact of Informal Caregiving
Research suggests that informal caregiving has a profound impact on employees juggling the demands of care support and professional roles. From increased stress levels and reduced job satisfaction to heightened absenteeism and decreased productivity, the toll of caregiving responsibilities is multifaceted. With approximately 2.7 million Australians aged 15-64 providing informal care, predominantly women, it’s crucial to address the challenges they face in balancing work and caregiving duties.
Addressing Gender Bias
Studies highlight the disproportionate burden shouldered by female caregivers, who often experience higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression compared to non-caregivers. This underscores the importance of creating a supportive workplace environment and implementing strategies to mitigate the wellbeing and psychosocial safety risks associated with caregiving.
The gender bias for caregiving is phenomenal. Over 70% of carers are women. There are huge financial, psychological, career, and wellbeing impacts. The ‘Sandwich Generation’ and ‘The Eldest Daughter Phenomenon’ are playing out in our lives and communities and have a significant impact on the task, process and emotional load of caregiving employees.
The Impacts
- Gender distribution: Research from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) indicates that women are more likely than men to take on caregiving responsibilities for ageing parents or loved ones. In fact, women make up the majority of informal caregivers in Australia. Over 70% of carers are women.
- Impact on employment: The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) highlights that women are more likely to experience workforce participation interruptions due to caregiving responsibilities. This can result in career stagnation, reduced earning potential, and financial insecurity for female caregivers.
- Time spent caregiving: Studies show that women typically spend more time providing care than men. The AIHW reports that female caregivers spend an average of 22 hours per week providing unpaid care, compared to 16 hours per week for male caregivers. This disparity can impact women’s ability to engage in paid employment and pursue career opportunities.
- Time spent researching, deciding and implementing care: It takes 190 hours (equivalent to 5 weeks) to research, decide and implement aging care arrangements, leaving caregiving employees exhausted. How organisations support caregiving employees to thrive is vital. The cost of not is high.
- Productivity Loss: Loss of organisational productivity due to caregiving is estimated at $500,000 (based on 1000 employees). On the contrary, providing practical support, embedding new D&I strategies and expanding the employee benefits for caregivers brings that half a million dollar loss back to your business.
- Emotional burden: Research suggests that women caregivers often experience higher levels of emotional strain and stress compared to their male counterparts. The dual responsibilities of caregiving and managing household duties can take a toll on women’s mental health and overall wellbeing.
- Impact on career progression: The Australian Human Rights Commission highlights that women caregivers are more likely to experience career interruptions and reduced opportunities for career advancement. This can contribute to the gender pay gap and exacerbate financial disparities between men and women in the workforce.
These gender-related statistics underscore the disproportionate burden that caregiving responsibilities place on women in Australia, particularly in terms of employment, financial stability, and mental health. Recognizing and addressing these challenges is crucial for promoting gender equality and supporting the wellbeing of all caregivers in the workplace.
Strategies for HR Support
To effectively support employees navigating informal caregiving responsibilities, HR leaders can implement several strategies. Our top recommendations are:
1. Care & Living with Mercer Service: Provide the Care & Living with Mercer service via the Career Money Life platform. This service provides hands-on support and guidance for employees navigating care responsibilities and decisions. Supporting caregiving employees mitigates impacts & risks for productivity, inclusion and wellbeing.
2. Flexible Work Arrangements: Offer flexible work arrangements, such as telecommuting options, flexible hours, or compressed workweeks, to accommodate the needs of caregiving employees. Providing flexibility enables caregivers to better balance their work and caregiving responsibilities, reducing stress and improving job satisfaction.
2. Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs): Implement Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) that offer confidential counseling, support services, and resources to employees experiencing stress or burnout related to caregiving responsibilities. EAPs provide a valuable outlet for caregivers to seek guidance and support, enhancing their overall wellbeing.
3. Training and Awareness Initiatives: Launch training sessions or awareness campaigns to educate managers and colleagues about the challenges faced by caregivers and promote empathy and understanding within the workplace. By fostering a supportive and inclusive culture, organizations can create a more conducive environment for employees to navigate their caregiving responsibilities.
4. Practical, Tailored Carer Support: Provide support for individuals and their loved ones to make better, faster care decisions.
By recognising the diverse caregiving responsibilities employees may encounter and implementing targeted support strategies, HR leaders can create a workplace culture that values and supports caregivers, regardless of gender or caregiving circumstances. Together, we can foster an environment where employees feel empowered to manage their caregiving responsibilities while thriving in their professional roles.
Ask us about our new service Care & Living with Mercer – supporting employees in navigating aged care and caring responsibilities. We can make this available via the Career Money Life platform for your employees.
Advice from our Experts 