Increasing Access to Caregiver-Friendly Workplaces: Stakeholder Perspectives.

Abstract

In the U.S, the roughly 70% of family caregivers who are employed face challenges balancing work and family responsibilities-which can threaten their longer-term financial well-being. Thus, the National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers (2022) focuses on increasing the availability of workplace protections and supports. This study provides stakeholder perspectives on caregiver-friendly workplace policies, drawing on data collected to support the development of the Strategy. Data were collected from qualitative interviews and focus groups with stakeholder organizations, comprising 34 individuals, aiming to identify key issues in encouraging caregiver-friendly workplaces. Respondents supported the need for systematic approaches in support of that shift and offered ideas for catalyzing it, stressing the importance of supportive workplace environments. They highlighted employer variation in capacity to adopt practices and the need for a range of options that accommodate employer and employee heterogeneity. Furthermore, they described the role of data in informing employers and policy.