An estimated 22.5 million Americans are balancing the demands of employment with caring for older or disabled family members. Although this can lead to increased stress and negatively affect job performance, employers increasingly are implementing caregiver-friendly workplace policies and strategies as part of benefit packages.

“Caregiving-friendly workplaces have benefits, policies and resources designed to help employees more easily manage the balance between work and caregiving responsibilities, and to support them in taking care of their own health care needs -- both physical and mental,” according to a report from the Office of Behavioral Health, Disability and Aging Policy at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “These resources encourage employers to adopt policies that create supportive workplace environments by getting leadership invested in culture change and innovation, while also focusing on inclusion for various types of family caregivers and reducing the stigmas that may arise for working caregivers.”