November 3, 2026
Your Employees Are Already Caregivers. Do They Know You Know That?
Supporting employees with caregiving responsibilities may be one of the most overlooked opportunities in workplace benefits.
For employers, employee caregiver support is becoming an increasingly important part of conversations about workplace benefits, productivity, and employee well-being.
For many employees, the workday doesn’t end when they leave the office. They may be coordinating medical appointments for an aging parent, managing a spouse’s recovery, or helping a loved one navigate daily care needs.
Much of this happens quietly, without their employer ever knowing.
According to Guardian Life’s 2023 Caregiving in America report, 22% of full-time workers are balancing their jobs with caregiving responsibilities.¹ That means more than one in five employees may be managing significant demands outside the workplace—often without their employers realizing the extent of those responsibilities.
For HR leaders, caregiving isn’t simply a personal matter affecting a handful of employees. It’s a workforce issue that deserves attention.
The Hidden Impact of Caregiving on Employee Retention and Productivity
Employees balancing work and caregiving responsibilities often face competing demands on their time, energy, and finances.
A call from a parent’s physician, an unexpected change in care arrangements, or the need to coordinate home services can interrupt even the most carefully planned workday.
Over time, these responsibilities may contribute to:
- Increased absenteeism and unplanned schedule changes
- Reduced concentration and productivity
- Employee stress and burnout
- Decisions to reduce working hours or leave the workforce altogether
Research published in Value in Health found that nearly one in four employed family caregivers of older adults experienced missed work or reduced productivity while working during a one-month period because of caregiving responsibilities. The study estimated annualized productivity losses of approximately $5,600 per employed caregiver across the study population.²
Guardian Life’s research also found that one in five caregivers had taken a leave of absence and/or accepted a demotion to accommodate caregiving responsibilities.¹
For employers, these consequences can extend beyond individual performance to employee retention, team continuity, and the cost of replacing experienced workers.
Yet many employees hesitate to discuss caregiving challenges with their supervisors or HR teams. They may worry about appearing less committed to their jobs or simply believe these responsibilities are theirs to manage alone.
Employee Caregiver Support: A Benefit Employees Can Use Before a Crisis
Traditional employee benefits often focus on responding to an event after it happens. But caregiving support can be valuable long before a family reaches a crisis.
Employees may need help understanding available care options, finding local resources, or determining what questions to ask when a loved one’s needs begin changing.
And employees increasingly expect their employers to recognize these challenges. A Securian Financial survey found that 78% of full-time employed caregivers expect their employers to provide benefits and resources supporting their caregiving responsibilities.³
Yet access to dedicated caregiving benefits remains limited. A Mercer survey of employers with at least 500 employees found that 34% offered or planned to offer elder care referrals or consultations, while 20% offered or planned backup elder care services and 17% offered or planned concierge caregiver support.⁴
Providing access to practical guidance can help employees feel less overwhelmed and better equipped to manage their responsibilities.
It also sends an important message: Their employer recognizes that employees have lives and responsibilities beyond the workplace.
Introducing YourCare360: Practical Support Beyond the Enrollment Period
Through ACSIA Partners’ worksite long-term care benefits solutions, employers can offer YourCare360, a year-round resource designed to help employees navigate caregiving responsibilities and prepare for their own future care needs.
Rather than leaving employees to research unfamiliar care options on their own, YourCare360 brings practical information and resources together in one place. Employees can access:
- Care planning tools: Assessments, checklists, and guides to help organize a loved one’s changing care needs.
- Care services and provider resources: Directories to help locate senior housing, in-home assistance, healthcare professionals, and other support services.
- Educational guidance: Information about work-life balance, financial wellness, insurance considerations, and common legal questions associated with caregiving.
YourCare360 also offers resources for families navigating end-of-life planning and the responsibilities that follow the loss of a loved one.
For HR leaders, this creates an opportunity to offer meaningful assistance beyond the annual benefits enrollment period. Employees can turn to the resource when questions arise, whether they are helping an aging parent today or beginning to consider their own future care needs.
ACSIA Partners makes YourCare360 available at no cost to employers and employees participating in its worksite benefits program, allowing organizations to extend this support without adding another employer-funded benefit expense.
It’s a practical way to acknowledge the caregiving responsibilities employees may already be carrying—and demonstrate that their employer recognizes those challenges.
A More Complete Approach to Employee Benefits
Long-term care planning and caregiving support are closely connected, but they address different needs.
Long-term care insurance can help employees prepare financially for their own potential future care needs. Caregiving resources can help them navigate the challenges they may already be facing with someone they love.
Together, these solutions contribute to a more comprehensive approach to employee well-being and financial security.
For employers, recognizing caregiving as a workforce issue isn’t just about expanding a benefits package. It’s about helping valued employees remain supported, engaged, and productive through different stages of life.
Supporting working caregivers doesn’t necessarily require creating an entirely new benefits program. Sometimes it begins with making practical resources available and ensuring employees know where to turn when caregiving responsibilities arise.
Your employees may already be caregivers. The question is whether they know their employer recognizes and supports that responsibility.
ACSIA Partners specializes in helping employers make long-term care planning and caregiving resources accessible through workplace benefits programs, combining employee education with practical solutions for families.
Learn how ACSIA Partners can bring YourCare360 to your workforce at no cost.
Research & Resources:
¹ Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. Caregiving in America. 12th Annual Workplace Benefits Study, 2023. Read the report.
² Keita Fakeye, M. B., et al. “Caregiving-Related Work Productivity Loss Among Employed Family and Other Unpaid Caregivers of Older Adults.” Value in Health, 26(5), 712–720, May 2023. Read the research.
³ Securian Financial. “78% of Caregivers Working Full Time Expect Their Employers to Provide Benefits Supporting Them as Caregivers.” Survey conducted November 2023; published April 2024. Read the findings.
⁴ Mercer employer benefits survey, reported by Jeanne Sahadi, CNN Business. “How Companies Can Ease the Strain on Employees Taking Care of Elderly Parents or Ill Family Members.” October 6, 2024. Read the article.
Denise Gott, MBA, CLTC®, is CEO of ACSIA Partners LLC, the nation’s largest independent brokerage and industry leader with over 50 years’ experience specializing in long-term care insurance dedicated to helping families navigate the complexities of long-term care planning. Contact us for more information about protecting your retirement and preserving your peace of mind.