Help wanted: Caregivers struggling with time demands, need employer support

A growing share of Quebec employees is juggling paid work with unpaid caregiving, often in silence — and that silence is putting them and their employers at risk of absenteeism, burnout, turnover and stalled careers, a new Léger survey suggests.

The study of 3,014 Quebec workers who are parents or caregivers, cited by The Canadian Press, found that one in three caregivers does not disclose their responsibilities to their employer. Among those who stay quiet, half say they fear being judged or losing opportunities at work.

Nearly half of caregivers in Quebec currently hold full‑time jobs, and that proportion is expected to rise as the population ages and more workers assume responsibility for ill, disabled or elderly relatives, according to the report. 

Having workers juggle work and caregiving duties may be costing companies nearly $100 billion annually, according to a previous study.

Heavy time demands, especially for women

The Léger data show caregiving is not an occasional task but an ongoing commitment layered on top of paid work.

Six in 10 (60%) of respondents said they spend between one and four hours per week providing care. Another 22% devote five to nine hours, 10% report 10 to 19 hours, and 8% provide 20 hours or more weekly.

The survey also highlights a clear gender gap. There are more female caregivers overall, and the imbalance grows with heavier time commitments. When more than 20 hours per week are devoted to caregiving, women are still the ones most likely to shoulder that load, said Loriane Estienne, Executive Director of Proche aidance Québec, in comments to The Canadian Press.

Quebec’s Act to Recognize and Support Caregivers, adopted in October 2020, has helped more people identify as caregivers. But it has also made clear that caregiving is increasingly a workplace issue. “We are also seeing an increase in the number of current and future caregivers, which means that we will increasingly be confronted with situations of caregiving in the workplace,” Estienne said.

More than half of mothers in the sandwich generation are leaving their jobs to fulfill caregiving responsibilities, a study by the University of Phoenix Career Institute and parenting platform Motherly found.

Stress, financial risk and the choice to keep working

In the CP report, Estienne described caregiving as inherently stressful, and especially so when the caregiver is employed but cannot rely on effective work–life balance measures.

If a worker must reduce hours without adequate support, “there is a risk of impoverishment and possibly financial insecurity. That is also a source of stress,” she said. Caregivers already face extra costs for transportation and purchases for their loved ones, she added, and if they also cannot work as much as they otherwise would, “it will inevitably lead to impoverishment.”

Despite these pressures, most caregivers remain in the labour force out of necessity. The survey found that 57% continue to work mainly to pay their bills. But financial need is not the only factor. For 35% of respondents, enjoyment of their work is also a reason to stay employed.

Policies exist — but caregivers fear using them

The survey suggests that while work–life balance measures are common on paper, many caregivers hesitate to use them.

Over 9 in 10 (92%) people report using at least one work–life balance measure per year. Yet only 58% of working caregivers say they feel comfortable using such measures. “So this shows us that there is still work to be done to normalize the use of these measures,” Vachon Croteau, Executive Director of Réseau pour un Québec Famille, said, according to the CP report.

Estienne stressed that not all supports are costly. Flexibility in scheduling, for example, can allow an employee to accompany a loved one to a medical appointment at no extra financial cost to the employer.

Vachon Croteau noted that caregiving is often unpredictable, but some needs can be anticipated. Her organisation has developed a contingency‑planning tool that lists an employee’s tasks and clarifies who will step in if the worker must be absent. “We try to plan for the unpredictable,” she said, to reduce stress for both caregivers and managers.

Even so, 45% of respondents said they were not well informed about the measures and resources available in their workplace. Communicating existing supports “is a first step that is definitely significant,” Vachon Croteau said.

Estienne added that better understanding of the many forms caregiving can take will help employers recognise these situations and open dialogue. From there, she said, it becomes easier for employers and caregivers to find solutions together.

Supporting working caregivers

Here’s how employers can properly support working caregivers, according to the Boston Consulting Group:

Know your working caregivers, recognize caregiver strain and burnout, and listen to caregivers’ needs. 

1. Offer the range of benefits and resources that working caregivers need, from everyday care support, including subsidies and funding, to emergency support and flexibility in when, how much, and where employees work. 

2. Embed and accelerate new ways of working, flexible work schedules, part-time options, and job sharing to help employees balance work and caregiving. 

3. Ensure that taking advantage of flexibility options does not hinder career advancement  

4. Foster a culture of openness and inclusion and elevate senior role models who highlight work-life balance for caregivers.