The Society for Human Resource Management interviewed Adam Goldberg, M.Ed. about the company’s report Modern Caregiving Challenges Facing U.S. Employees, why he is defining “caregiving” more broadly than others, and how not doing so is detrimental to companies and employees. While statistics claim that one in six employees are caregivers, both Goldberg and SHRM outline why employers should assume they have far greater numbers of caregivers in their workforce.
Goldberg suggests broadening the traditional definition of caregiving beyond parental-leave policies to “fully encompass the day-in-and-out challenges that any adult may face related to their family members.” This expanded definition – or “modern caregiving” – focuses on all aspects of tending to a loved one’s extended and often complex array of care needs in today’s fast-paced, frequently shifting world. It includes not only the traditional elements of elder and child care, which often focus on disease or disabilities, but also includes everyday challenges and situations that burden employees. Some of these modern issues involve managing screen time, bullying, homework issues, how to hire an eldercare attorney, identifying cognitive changes, or senior financial scams.
SHRM and Goldberg discuss a variety of steps that an employer should take in today’s competitive labor market related to family care benefits. “Caregiving impacts us all,” Goldberg said, “and employers should assume they have caregivers dealing with a variety of issues every day.” He suggests that training managers to support a corporate caregiving culture is critical. Employers need to ask their employees not only what their challenges are, but how what kind of assistance they need. He concludes by outlining four key initial steps that employers can take to assess their family care strategy and to begin to remove the stigma associated with “caregiving.”
Read the full article “More Workers Than You Realize Are Caregivers – Support your employees by rethinking how you define caregiving.”