Workers who care for loved ones
Did you know that nearly 17% of your employees may be caregivers? In the US today, one in six employees is a caregiver for a relative or friend, and spends on average 20 hours a week providing some kind of care. And it’s safe to say (given demographic trends) that the number of employees acting as caregivers will only grow.
Think you know who the caregivers in your workforce are? Consider this: 40 percent are men, and nearly half are Gen X and Millennials. Regardless of age or gender, these family caregivers need employer support to stay healthy, engaged, and productive. And supporting them is in employers’ best interests: failure to support working caregivers can cost employers nearly $3000 per working caregiver—that’s real money.
Importantly, support for working caregivers doesn't need to be complicated or expensive to drive positive impact—and AARP can help. We’ve created a comprehensive toolkit to help employers in supporting their working caregivers. It's free and accessible online (click here). The toolkit has three parts, which can be used separately or together, to best serve your needs:
- Assess where you are vs. other organizations
- Review our practical guide—also attached
- Watch and share the supporting videos to hear the perspectives of both employers and employee-caregivers that provide insight into the issue
Go to www.EmployerCaregivingToolkit.org to learn more about all three parts of the toolkit. Quickly get on the road to addressing this growing need—and retaining experienced talent.