Working caregivers

The percentage of full-time working Americans who also manage caregiving duties for a loved one has risen sharply since 2019, according to a new report from The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. At the same time, more women are leaving the workforce because of the difficulty in balancing their jobs with caregiving responsibilities.

Among all Americans who remain in the workforce full time, nearly half (43 percent) juggle caregiving duties. This represents a 13 percent increase from prior years, when 38 percent of full-time employees reported having caregiving responsibilities in 2019.

More women are taking on caregiving responsibilities full time. In 2023, Guardian found that 56 percent of full-time workers who were also caregivers were women, while 44 percent were men. In 2025, Guardian's new report found that men now make up 57 percent of full-time working caregivers, with women comprising the remaining 43 percent. As women still represent the vast majority of all caregivers, this suggests an exodus of women from the full-time workforce rather than a dramatic shift in who is managing caregiving responsibilities.

Supporting caregivers in the workplace. When employers step up to support their employees with caregiving responsibilities, everyone benefits.

According to the report, caregivers with access to relevant support at work report better overall well-being and mental health, as well as less stress. In contrast, nearly half of caregivers who lack resources or assistance from their companies report low overall well-being.

"With nearly half of full-time workers also taking on caregiving roles, today's workforce continues to undergo a profound transformation that will only accelerate in the years ahead," said Stacey Hoin, Chief Human Resources Officer at Guardian. "As almost one out of every two employees is now a caregiver, retaining this talent is a business imperative for employers and HR professionals. Given the impact of caregiving on an employee's mental, physical, and financial wellness, it's essential that we offer support that addresses these interconnected needs."

Providing resources for caregivers can also minimize the need for employees to take one or multiple leaves of absence. This is particularly important given that Guardian found that one-third of caregivers who take a leave to care for family members end up taking another leave for themselves.

"Employers have a real opportunity to make a difference for working caregivers, whether through offering dedicated mental health and caregiving wellness services, flexible schedules, equitable paid leave benefits, or employee assistance programs through their benefits," said Jessica Vanscavish, Head of Disability, Absence, Life, and Supplemental Health at Guardian. "When companies offer these resources, it's not just individual employees and their families who benefit—entire organizations can see improvements in engagement, retention, and overall performance."

Additional findings. The report also reveals that caregiving responsibilities are prevalent across generations in the workforce: 25 percent of Baby Boomers, 39 percent of Gen X, 51 percent of Millennials, and 38 percent of Gen Z employees identify as having caregiving responsibilities.

In addition, the report shows that caregivers face mental health challenges:

• Only 36 percent of caregivers report "very good" mental health;
• Caregivers are 55 percent more likely to struggle with substance use challenges than non-caregivers;
• Caregivers are 48 percent more likely to have experienced increased anxiety and depression over the past year; and
• Of caregivers who took a paid leave of absence from work, over a third (37 percent) said that it was due to mental health needs.

SOURCE: Guardian Life

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