Employed caregivers struggle to balance responsibilities of both work and family
23% of caregivers reported that they intend to quit their job in the next 6 to 12 months – with 54% stating that the reason was due to concerns about their child’s health.
The number of individuals who suffer from mental illness is growing and employed caregivers must balance the needs of both their family and work. The American Psychiatric Association Center for Workplace Mental Health found that workplace depression costs employers billions, but treatment produces substantial improvements in absenteeism and presenteeism.
A new study by the Integrated Benefit Institute, a health and productivity research non-profit, found that employed caregivers miss work more frequently than employees whose children do not require mental health treatment. The study found that 67% of caregivers reported missing work for 3 or more days when their child needed mental health treatment, compared to only 33% of employees whose children did not need mental health treatment.
Employed caregivers often struggle with their own mental health needs, in addition to the needs of their children. The study found that there was a four-fold increase in presenteeism among caregivers with mental health needs. Seventy-eight percent of caregivers reported a reduction in work performance when their child needed mental health treatment, compared to only 22% of caregivers when their child did not require treatment.
Caregivers who struggle to find the balance often consider leaving their roles behind. The study found that 23% of caregivers reported that they intend to quit their job in the next 6 to 12 months – with 54% stating that the reason was due to concerns about their child’s health.
Related: Caregivers more stressed and less prepared for large emergency expenses
It is essential that organizations support their employees who struggle to balance both work and family responsibilities.
James Huffman, IBI President and CEO said that despite significant progress, “this study highlights that there is still work to be done to connect people to the resources that can support them. Employers should consider a broader scope to their programs and factor in the true accessibility of programs and any roadblocks to taking advantage of them.”