A new survey found family caregivers who also work outside the home are feeling the strain. More than half worry that caregiving will negatively affect their job performance and more than a third missed days of work.
“Unpaid family caregivers are unsung heroes,” said Bonni Kaplan DeWoskin, vice president of marketing for Homethrive, which published the 2022 Employee Caregiving Survey. “Our second annual Employee Caregiving Survey reveals their workloads show no signs of letting up, and this underserved, yet growing population, is demanding help from their employers; they’re willing to leave their jobs unless they get it.”
Homethrive, through a third-party survey provider, in August surveyed 200 adults in the United States who work and also provide support for loved ones. The company has a family caregiving platform called Dari and offers members 24/7 access to one-of-a-kind resources to learn about subjects such as Medicare and long-term care.
Among the findings of the study: 56% of employees believe that caregiving will have a negative impact on their job performance; 38% of employees left work early due to their responsibilities; 37% of employees missed days of work; and 35% of employees had to rearrange work schedules.
There has also been an increased burden on family caregivers compared to last year. For example, the number of employees spending more than nine hours per week on caregiving jumped by 151% compared to 2021. Also, the number of employees whose supervisors are aware of their caregiving responsibilities expanded by 40%.
