Workplace Issues

The responsibilities of caregiving are exacting an ever-increasing toll on employees and employers alike, though comparatively few managers have recognized the problem for what it is and addressed it effectively.

For a variety of reasons, more and more members of the active workforce are having to tend to the needs of an elderly parent or other family member, an obligation that absorbs time and energy and can cause enormous worry and stress. Their performance and careers suffer as a consequence, while administrators are left to cope with higher absenteeism and lower productivity.

The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that nearly one in three workers is the primary caregiver for an aging family member, and that more than half -- 54 percent -- will find themselves in that role within just the next 10 years. A recent MetLife study puts the productivity loss to employers at $29 billion annually, and climbing. Little wonder, since another survey shows that at least 1 in 5 working caregivers devote more than 20 hours per week to that obligation.

Other studies show that few companies have any kind of blueprint for dealing with the issue, even as they may have effective employee assistance programs for human relations issues such as child care, alcoholism and drug abuse. Yet there are many cost-effective steps that workers and their employers can take to ease the burden on both sides.

Senior Direction can show you how. We are available to present workshops and seminars anywhere in the nation, tailored to your needs -- for employees, managers, or both. These can range from hour-long events to all-day sessions, and can range from a general focus on caregiving to education on specific issues such as dementia.

Please contact us for details.