When the pandemic took hold more than three years ago, what began as a health crisis quickly became one of mental health. As the world went into lockdown, another crisis quietly emerged: a crisis of care.
As schools and senior living facilities closed, millions of individuals saw their caregiving responsibilities multiply and intensify. Homes became the front lines of it all, as parents juggled balancing childcare and elder care while also working from their kitchen tables. Others struggled with the same demands without having the ability to work outside the home.
For employers, there’s no denying the impact of caregiving on their employees. Caregiving can be a full-time job that puts physical, emotional and financial strain on individuals who also work full-time. According to Harvard Business School, at least 80% of employees felt their caregiving challenges impacted their productivity — and the crisis is likely to get worse before it gets better.
Within the U.S., as the older adult population ages, the need for caregivers is expected to grow. Today, there are an estimated seven potential family caregivers per older adult. By 2030, that number is anticipated to drop to four.
Employers have an important role in helping to manage the caregiving crisis. As employees consider whether to stay in their current role or look for a new job, they are looking for policies and resources that enable them to balance their work and their care for others. In response, more employers are offering caregiving benefits to recruit and retain top talent.
But it’s more than just policies and benefits. It starts with company culture. To build a caring culture, employers need to lead with hospitality and consider how employees’ multiple roles impact their experiences in the workplace.
Recognize It’s Not One-Size-Fits-All
Employers need to find more inclusive ways to address the complex caregiving needs of their workforce, and not just for parents with young kids. Many of today’s employees are part of the “Sandwich Generation,” caught in the middle of caring for the needs of elderly parents and grandparents and their own children. Others have become caregivers for siblings, neighbors or pets, struggling to balance their roles with existing obligations. By recognizing the wider need for resources and support, employers can better serve more of their employees, no matter where they are on their caregiving journey.
Enhance Flexibility
Flexibility has been called the single most important wellness perk and desired benefit. This is especially true for caregivers who have schedules that require them to care for others at times that conflict with work hours. Offering flexible work options for employees creates a more caregiver-friendly workplace, which in turns bolsters productivity and lessens stress.
Empower Conversations
Earlier this year, I participated in a panel for one of Hilton’s Team Member Resource Group titled, “It Takes a Village: A Parenting Panel.” Several hundred people joined to listen to the conversation as panelists shared experiences about balancing parenting and work life. The volume of participation and the subsequent feedback demonstrated how much this topic resonated within our workforce and likely does across industries.
Empowering these types of conversations is essential to building trust within the workplace. Companies should consider taking a holistic approach to caregiving to normalize the topic and promote dialogue so employees feel more comfortable talking about it. Recognizing the important role managers play in creating a culture of dialogue, employers should also train leaders to learn how to identify when someone may be struggling to balance caregiving responsibilities and how to refer them to available resources.
Recognize the Full Team
Caregiving responsibilities can have a shared impact. Recognizing those who pitch in for others when caregiving needs arise sets the tone for how companies deliver against their priorities, while also caring for one another. Ultimately, when employees can better care for themselves and their families at home, they are able to perform better at work and in their jobs.
In our industry of hospitality, caring for others is core to what we do. When we extend the same level of care and support to our teams as we do our customers, we not only support inclusion, but make the world a brighter, more caring place.
DeShaun N. Wise Porter is Hilton’s global head of diversity, equity, inclusion and engagement.
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