Workplaces seen as underutilised in supporting caregivers, new report finds
Flexible work arrangements are the top workplace priority for caregivers in Singapore, according to a new study, which described the workplace as an underutilised source of support for employees balancing care duties with their jobs.
The AIA Live Better Study (Wave 10), released by AIA Singapore, found that 39% of current caregivers and 38% of future caregivers named flexibility in work arrangements as their top workplace priority.
Respondents also pointed to the need for clear caregiving policies, caregiving leave and a supportive workplace culture.
The study argued that while the workplace can play an important role in helping staff manage caregiving, it remains underused, and that employers can help by offering flexibility, practical support and an environment that acknowledges the demands of balancing work and care.
A growing responsibility
The findings come as caregiving becomes a common reality for Singapore's workforce. Seven in 10 (72%) Singapore residents are connected to caregiving or care-receiving in some form, the study found.
With Singapore moving towards becoming a super-aged society, 61% of current caregivers are primarily caring for elderly family members, while 57% of future caregivers expect to do the same.
Yet preparedness remains low. Only 20% of future caregivers feel well prepared for the role, and just 31% of current caregivers felt prepared when they first took it on.
"Caregiving is deeply personal, and no two care journeys are the same. The unpredictability of each journey can make it difficult for even the most proactive Singaporeans to feel fully prepared for the emotional, social and financial demands of caregiving," said Irma Hadikusuma, chief marketing and healthcare officer at AIA Singapore.
Emotional strain ranked as the top challenge for both future and current caregivers (31% each), ahead of direct financial strain (28% and 23%, respectively). The impact on relationships and social life, a challenge for one in five (21%) current caregivers, did not feature among future caregivers' top five concerns.
Beyond the family
The study also found that caregiving is increasingly shared outside the household. Nearly half (46%) of current caregivers have already moved beyond purely family-led care, while 56% of future caregivers expect to combine family support with domestic helpers, paid professional services or care facilities.
A reliable source of advice (37%) and a centralised platform for caregiving information and resources (25%) were among the most valued forms of support.
"Meeting the realities of caregiving requires a wider, shared support system. Insurers play an important role beyond providing financial protection," Hadikusuma added.
Flexible work framework
Singapore employers already operate under a formal framework for flexible work requests.
The Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement Requests took effect on 1 December 2024, and require employers to properly consider such requests based on business grounds, and employees to request and use flexible work arrangements responsibly.
The guidelines cover all employees who have completed probation, but govern the process of handling requests rather than their outcome, with employers continuing to have the prerogative to decide on work arrangements.
