Caregiving stress leads to increased medical leaves among U.S. workers

Caregiving is taking a significant mental and physical toll on U.S. employees. More than 1 in 5 workers who took a caregiving leave of absence between January 2022 and June 2024 later took a leave for their own medical condition, according to new research from ComPsych.

“We all know caregiving can be extremely challenging, and this new data underscores the very real impact it has on people,” said Dr. Jennifer Birdsall, clinical director of ComPsych, a provider of mental health and absence management services. “From the emotional drain it can cause to the physical demands of competing priorities or helping another person with basic daily functions, caregiving puts people under a tremendous amount of stress.”

More than 1 in 10 leaves of absence are taken to care for a family member. Mental health (15%) was the single most common reason for their subsequent medical leave, followed by surgery (11%), pointing to both the mental and physical demands of caregiving.

However, despite the pervasiveness of the need, challenges associated with caregiving is a topic many people do not feel comfortable discussing at work. In a recent online survey of more than 500 U.S. adults, ComPsych found that less than one-quarter felt equipped to support a team member who was struggling with their caregiving role, while more than three-quarters said they either were not prepared or only somewhat prepared to support their caregiving colleagues.

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Organizations looking to provide more robust support to team members with caregiving responsibilities need to focus on creating psychological safety and a positive mental health culture where caregivers feel championed and safe to ask for help. Strong wellbeing, behavioral health and work-life programs and resources also can help caregivers address the emotional, physical and logistical challenges they face.

“There is a caregiving cliff in America that will only get worse as the baby boomer generation continues to age and as more and more working adults fall into the ‘sandwich generation’ — caring for both children and older loved ones,” Birdsall said. “It’s vital that we better support and prioritize caregivers, ensuring they’re able to care for themselves both mentally and physically while they also assist their family members.”