Caregiver Grief and LossGrief and loss can be difficult for some caregivers. Explore resources to find some tips and insights for moving forward.
Caregiver Mental Health and Well-BeingSupporting your own health and well-being is important to prevent caregiver burnout. Explore our resources and find support that may help you in your caregiving role.
Emotions and Caregiving Our resources can help you understand some of the emotions you might experience on your caregiving journey and how you can manage them.
Dementia or Alzheimer’s DiseaseAccess helpful resources related to supporting someone with neurocognitive disorders like dementia or Alzheimer's disease.
Cancer DiagnosisAccess helpful resources related to supporting someone with a cancer diagnosis.
AutismAccess helpful resources related to supporting an autistic person.
Developmental DisabilityAccess helpful resources related to supporting someone with a developmental disability.
Heart ConditionAccess helpful resources related to supporting someone with a heart condition.
Mobility ChallengesAccess helpful resources related to supporting someone with mobility challenges.
Mental Illness or AddictionAccess helpful resources related to supporting someone with mental illness and/or addiction.
Eating DisorderAccess helpful resources related to supporting someone with an eating disorder.
EpilepsyAccess helpful resources related to supporting someone with epilepsy.
Health Privacy & ConsentAccess resources to support caregivers in conversations about health privacy and consent.
Virtual HealthcareAccess information to help you plan for a successful virtual healthcare appointment.
Advance Care Planning Learn more about advance care planning and how you can help ensure the person you're caring for recieves the care they need.
Palliative & End of Life CareAccess helpful resources related to supporting someone with palliative and end of life care.
Contingency & Emergency PlanningLearn more about contingency and emergency planning and how you can help ensure the person you're caring for receives the care they need during an emergency.
Caregiver Grief and LossGrief and loss can be difficult for some caregivers. Explore resources to find some tips and insights for moving forward.
Caregiver Mental Health and Well-BeingSupporting your own health and well-being is important to prevent caregiver burnout. Explore our resources and find support that may help you in your caregiving role.
Emotions and Caregiving Our resources can help you understand some of the emotions you might experience on your caregiving journey and how you can manage them.
Dementia or Alzheimer’s DiseaseAccess helpful resources related to supporting someone with neurocognitive disorders like dementia or Alzheimer's disease.
Cancer DiagnosisAccess helpful resources related to supporting someone with a cancer diagnosis.
AutismAccess helpful resources related to supporting an autistic person.
Developmental DisabilityAccess helpful resources related to supporting someone with a developmental disability.
Heart ConditionAccess helpful resources related to supporting someone with a heart condition.
Mobility ChallengesAccess helpful resources related to supporting someone with mobility challenges.
Mental Illness or AddictionAccess helpful resources related to supporting someone with mental illness and/or addiction.
Eating DisorderAccess helpful resources related to supporting someone with an eating disorder.
EpilepsyAccess helpful resources related to supporting someone with epilepsy.
Health Privacy & ConsentAccess resources to support caregivers in conversations about health privacy and consent.
Virtual HealthcareAccess information to help you plan for a successful virtual healthcare appointment.
Advance Care Planning Learn more about advance care planning and how you can help ensure the person you're caring for recieves the care they need.
Palliative & End of Life CareAccess helpful resources related to supporting someone with palliative and end of life care.
Contingency & Emergency PlanningLearn more about contingency and emergency planning and how you can help ensure the person you're caring for receives the care they need during an emergency.
Your Employees Are Caregivers. Supporting Them Is a Strategic Investment in Your Workforce.
Across Ontario, approximately one in three employees is balancing paid work with caregiving responsibilities – taking up an average of 6 additional hours each day, or the equivalent of a second part-time job.
These employees aren’t a niche part of your workforce. They are your experienced team members, managers, and leaders.
When these caregivers are supported, they’re more engaged, productive, and empowered to continue contributing their skills, experience, and expertise to your workplace.
Organizations that recognize and respond to the realities of caregiving strengthen employee well-being, build loyalty, improve retention, and create a more inclusive workplace culture.
The question for employers is no longer whether caregiving affects the workplace. It’s whether your organization is prepared to support the growing number of employees who are balancing work and care.
Increase engagement, productivity, and retention with your team.
Get tips to build a caregiver-inclusive culture straight to your inbox.
What It’s Like for Working Caregivers
Caregiving doesn’t stop when employees arrive at work. The appointments, care coordination, unexpected phone calls, and decision-making responsibilities that come with caregiving don’t fit neatly outside working hours.
As caregiving demands increase, employees may face competing priorities and challenges balancing responsibilities at home and at work. This isn’t because caregivers are less committed to their work. It’s because they are often managing two important roles at the same time.
69%of caregivers report that their caregiving responsibilities had a clear impact on their experiences at work.
At the same time, employee expectations are changing.
Today’s workforce increasingly expects flexibility, supportive leadership, and workplace cultures where caregiving can be discussed openly and without stigma. Organizations that respond to these changing expectations will be better positioned to attract and retain talent in the years ahead.
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A supportive employer created a workplace where I felt safe being honest about my caregiving responsibilities without fear of judgment or negative consequences.
Flexibility with work hours and understanding during caregiving emergencies helped me feel valued as a person, not just an employee, allowing me to remain engaged, productive, and committed to my work.
– Susan, Working Caregiver
Supporting Working Caregivers is a People Strategy
Supporting caregivers isn’t simply an employee benefit or accommodation.
It’s a people strategy that helps organizations attract and retain talent, preserve valuable skills and experience, and build workplaces where employees can thrive throughout every stage of life.
Caregiver-supportive workplaces benefit from:
Stronger employee engagement
Greater workforce participation
Improved employee well-being
Enhanced retention of experienced staff
Higher productivity
A stronger reputation as an employer of choice
While employers cannot eliminate caregiving responsibilities, they can create workplace environments where employees feel supported to remain productive, engaged, and successful.
How OCO Can Help
The Ontario Caregiver Organization partners with employers to build caregiver-inclusive workplaces through practical education, workplace engagement, and tailored support.
Whether you’re just beginning to explore what this means for your team or looking to strengthen existing practices, we can help your organization:
Increase awareness of working caregivers in your workforce
Understand the experiences and needs of employees with caregiving responsibilities
Equip leaders and managers with practical tools and knowledge
Foster caregiver-inclusive workplace cultures
Strengthen employee well-being and engagement
Support talent retention and workforce participation
Our Workplace Supports
Informational presentations and workshops for employees
Learning and training for managers and leadership
Support special events and activities such as well-being fairs or awareness days
Helpful resources, templates and tools you can use today
Collaborative learning and networking with other employers
Individualized guidance and support to help you take action
As caregiving became an increasingly common reality within our workforce, we established an employee resource group to support caregivers, build community, and better understand their needs. Today, it is one of our fastest-growing groups, demonstrating the importance of caregiver support in the workplace.”
– The Care Collective ERG, MPAC
The Workforce Is Changing. Employee Expectations Are Too.
As more employees balance work and caregiving responsibilities, expectations around workplace support continue to evolve. Current and future caregivers increasingly expect:
Flexible work arrangements
Understanding and supportive managers
Inclusive workplace cultures
Open conversations about caregiving
Visible supports and resources
For employers, this represents both an opportunity and a competitive advantage. Organizations that proactively support working caregivers are better positioned to meet evolving workforce expectations and strengthen their reputation as employers of choice.
Practical Steps Employers Can Take Today
Workplace culture, leadership practices, and flexibility all influence whether caregivers feel able to remain engaged and continue growing their careers.
Employers that take a proactive approach can strengthen employee well-being, support workforce participation, and retain valuable talent.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution, but there are several practical steps organizations can take to create a more caregiver-inclusive workplace:
When employees feel comfortable talking about caregiving responsibilities without fear of stigma or career impact, employers are better positioned to provide meaningful support and help employees remain engaged and successful.
Flexible approaches to work can help employees effectively manage competing responsibilities while continuing to contribute and perform at a high level.
Managers play a critical role in shaping the day-to-day employee experience. With the right tools and awareness, they can help employees navigate challenges before they become barriers to engagement or retention.
Review workplace policies, procedures, and day-to-day practices to identify areas where employees may experience unnecessary barriers or friction. Small changes to leave policies, flexibility practices, communication processes, or workplace supports can have a meaningful impact on employees balancing work and caregiving responsibilities.
Consider whether existing benefits, wellness programs, and Employee and Family Assistance Programs (EFAPs) address the needs of employees with caregiving responsibilities. There may be opportunities to enhance caregiver-specific supports or improve awareness of resources that are already available.
A working caregiver is an employee who provides unpaid care or support to a family member, friend, or neighbour who has a disability, chronic illness, mental health condition, age-related need, or other health-related challenge while also participating in the workforce.
Working caregivers can be found at all levels of an organization, from frontline employees to senior leaders.
No, working caregivers may support aging parents, spouses, partners, adult children, siblings, friends, neighbours, or other family members. Caregiving can involve physical care, supporting daily activities, transportation, care coordination, emotional support, advocacy, financial management, or helping someone navigate the healthcare system.
Many working caregivers juggle competing responsibilities at home and at work. They may need to coordinate appointments, manage unexpected caregiving demands, support loved ones through health challenges, and balance caregiving with their professional responsibilities.
Without adequate workplace support, caregivers may experience increased stress, difficulty maintaining work-life balance, and challenges pursuing career advancement opportunities.
Supporting working caregivers helps employers retain experienced employees, strengthen engagement, support employee well-being, and build workplaces where people can continue contributing their skills and expertise throughout different stages of life.
As caregiving becomes increasingly common, caregiver-inclusive workplaces can also help organizations attract and retain talent in a competitive labour market.
Caregiving can affect employee availability, flexibility needs, career decisions, and overall workplace experience. Many caregivers report reducing work hours, turning down advancement opportunities, or considering leaving the workforce due to caregiving demands.
For employers, this can create challenges related to talent retention, leadership development, workforce participation, and knowledge transfer.
No, organizations of all sizes employ working caregivers.
Many of the most effective supports, such as flexible work arrangements, supportive leadership, open communication, and manager training can be implemented by employers regardless of size.
Employees are more likely to remain with organizations when they feel supported during significant life transitions and caregiving responsibilities. Caregiver-inclusive workplaces can strengthen employee loyalty, reduce turnover risks, and help employers retain experienced staff and future leaders.
You may already have some of these in place. With our team’s help, you can ensure they truly support working caregivers as well. Connect with us for a free, no-pressure consultation to see where you’re at.
Some organizations create dedicated caregiver policies, while others integrate caregiver support into existing policies, programs, and workplace practices. What matters most is ensuring employees can access meaningful support and that managers understand how to respond effectively.
Managers can support caregivers by fostering open conversations, demonstrating flexibility where possible, focusing on outcomes rather than hours worked, understanding available workplace supports, and helping employees access resources when needed.
Through our Workplace Program, we offer practical manager training that helps leaders better understand the realities faced by employees with caregiving responsibilities. Topics include recognizing strain and burnout, building psychological safety, having supportive conversations, and connecting employees with available workplace supports and resources. Connect with us to see what it will look like for your team.
Do employees feel comfortable discussing caregiving responsibilities?
Are managers equipped to support working caregivers?
Are our policies and practices flexible and inclusive?
Do our benefits address the needs of caregivers?
Do employees know what supports are available?
Employee feedback and workplace assessments can help identify strengths and opportunities for improvement. We have a template you can use right away in our Employer Guide.
The Ontario Caregiver Organization works with employers to build caregiver-inclusive workplaces through education, workplace presentations, leadership learning opportunities, consultation, resources, and guidance.
We help employers better understand the needs of working caregivers and identify practical strategies to support employees while strengthening workplace culture, engagement, and retention.
No, the Ontario Caregiver Organization offers resources and supports free of charge. However, OCO is a registered charity, any donations are appreciated. Connect to learn more.
The best place to start is by booking a free 30-minute discovery call with OCO. Our team can help you better understand the needs of working caregivers in your workforce and identify practical opportunities to strengthen support within your organization.
