Upwards recently hosted an insightful webinar featuring experts from Parento and Mellie exploring how employers can support their workforce across different life stages and caregiving needs. You can catch the full session here! In the meantime, here are the top 5 takeaways from our discussion:

1. The Workforce Landscape is Changing

Today’s employees expect holistic support that goes beyond traditional benefits. Many are part of the “sandwich generation,” balancing both childcare and elder care responsibilities. Key points:

• Evolving expectations for comprehensive employee support
• Recognition of the “sandwich generation” and their unique challenges
• Shift from normalizing “crisis mode” to proactively supporting employees’ personal lives

“About 25% of people are actually in that sandwich generation… Try and wrap your head around the fact of trying to manage a child and coordinate all that care, and then an older adult who might still be fairly independent, or maybe not, and making bad decisions… And then you’re working.” - Tracy Dobronravova, Mellie

2. Parental Leave Needs a Holistic Approach

Effective parental leave policies consider the needs of the entire family unit, not just the birth parent. Important aspects include:

• Paid time off for both birth and non-birth parents
• Support for employees transitioning back to work
• Additional resources layered in after the initial leave period

“We think about this holistically - what does a family actually need? Not just the mom who’s given birth, but that child and that father… What’s gonna be best for them from a career standpoint, for their ability to return to work and then also invest in their career 6, 12 months later?” - Dirk Doebler, Parento

3. Childcare Support is Critical for Retention

With only 12% of the U.S. workforce having access to employer-provided childcare benefits, there’s a significant opportunity for employers to stand out. Consider:

• Offering a variety of childcare solutions (home daycares, backup care, subsidies, stipends)
• Addressing the needs of employees working non-traditional hours
• Recognizing that childcare issues affect the entire team, not just parents

“The labor force participation rate among women with children under the age of 6, as of 2022 was about 60% in comparison to a rate of 93% for men. So this is often something that does fall in line with the choices that a mother may be in the position that she has to make.” - Rachel Peterson, Upwards

4. Elder Care is an Often Overlooked Challenge

Elder care responsibilities frequently go unnoticed but can significantly impact employee productivity and well-being. Address this by:

• Raising awareness about elder care challenges within your organization
• Providing resources to help employees navigate the healthcare system
• Offering support for coordinating care, even from a distance

“Elder care generally isn’t talked about in the workplace. You don’t have those celebratory milestones. It’s a little hidden and so I think part of that discussion is just starting to talk about it more and ask those questions.” - Tracy Dobronravova, Mellie

5. The Business Case for Holistic Support is Strong

Implementing comprehensive life stage support isn’t just good for employees—it’s good for business. While many companies offer surface-level solutions like mental health app subscriptions, our experts emphasized the importance of digging deeper to address root causes of workplace stress and mental health issues.

“There are a lot of point solutions out there that solve for the things we’ve talked about like mental wellbeing, financial wellbeing, and those benefits are now considered the bread and butter, and an employer will offer support for those employee challenges. But oftentimes, if you dig further into those layers and you’re saying, ‘Okay, what’s at the root of these high levels of stress or high levels of anxiety?’ Oftentimes what you find is that there is an issue in accessing care and feeling like you have the support you need.” - Rachel Peterson, Upwards

Solutions like mental health apps are just the tip of the iceberg. Beneath the surface lies the real challenges employees face, such as childcare struggles, elder care responsibilities, and work-life balance issues. By addressing these underlying issues through holistic support programs, employers can create a more resilient, engaged, and productive workforce.

Benefits of this approach back to the business include:

• Retention and Loyalty: Comprehensive support drives loyalty because employees feel genuinely cared for.
• Productivity: Addressing caregiving burdens can significantly improve employee focus and engagement.
• Mental Health: 40-70% of caregivers experience anxiety and depression, impacting their work performance.
• FMLA Usage: About 30% of FMLA leave is taken for caregiving reasons.

“We’ve seen employees come back to work that didn’t think that they were actually going to go back to work at the beginning of their leave. When they talk to one of our coaches, they weren’t sure how they were going to manage it. They were very, very pessimistic, or they plan not to go back because it can be too difficult to manage.” - Dirk Doebler, Parento

BONUS TIP: Implementing a Holistic Approach

• Ask “Why?” Five Times: Dig deeper into employee challenges to uncover root causes related to caregiving.

• Early Intervention: Provide support and resources before crises occur.

• Comprehensive Planning: Offer preparation and ongoing support throughout various life stages.

• Education: Ensure employees understand and can effectively utilize the benefits offered.

• Benchmarking: Research industry standards and adapt best practices to your organization.

   

Overcoming Implementation Challenges

• HR needs to understand that these benefits, while not utilized equally by all employees, are hugely impactful for the entire organization.
• Prioritize based on your workforce’s needs, understanding that the positive effects ripple throughout the company.
• Consider the “domino effect” of inadequate support - when one employee struggles, it impacts the entire team.

By adopting a holistic approach to employee benefits that addresses various life stages and caregiving needs, organizations can create a more supportive, productive, and loyal workforce. This investment in comprehensive employee support not only benefits individual workers but also contributes to the overall success and stability of the business.

Want to learn more about how you can support your employees at every life stage? Contact us to discuss tailored solutions for your organization.