Exclusive research: Caregiving support boosts recruitment and retention

By Lee Hafner December 11, 2025, 1:31 p.m. EST 4 Min Read

What's at stake: Unchecked gaps risk losing Gen Z and millennial talent.
Supporting data: 44% would change jobs; 16% actively looking; 69% prioritize caregiving benefits.
Forward look: Expect more employer caregiver programs as manager awareness and offerings increase.
Source: Bullets generated by AI with editorial review

Supporting working caregivers can be challenging for benefit leaders. But it's worth it.

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New research from Employee Benefit News shows a direct tie between the support caregivers receive from their employer and retention of those workers. It also reveals what different generations are facing and in need of, giving benefit leaders thorough insight into what offerings are most impactful.

In a survey of more than 500 employees conducted in August and September, 44% said they are willing to change jobs that better accommodate their caregiving responsibilities, and 16% were actively looking — a 7% increase from 2023, when EBN previously conducted this research. Gen Z and millennials were more adamant than older generations about moving jobs — something that could threaten the future of a company's workforce if not addressed.

Nearly 70% of those willing to change jobs said caregiving benefits would be a primary or contributing factor in their decision. Other major influences included salary and flexibility, pointing to the financial and time challenges they face.

On a positive note, the survey also revealed an uptick — from 56% to 69% — in employers or managers being aware of the scope of caregiving responsibilities their employees provide. Along with this, caregiver offerings are becoming more commonplace, with 57% of respondents rating support from their organization as good or excellent, compared to just 38% in 2023. Now it's up to benefit leaders to keep the momentum going.

The current landscape of caregiving

As it was in 2023, caring for children is still the most common form of caregiving, though it has risen from 42% to 62%. Care for adults has shifted, with those caring for a parent or parents down from 37% to 21% and those caring for a spouse rising from 29% to 36%, for example.

What hasn't changed is the wide variety of conditions that require care. For respondents caring for children, neurodiversity, mental health challenges, vision and hearing impairment and fine motor skills are the most common conditions requiring help. Those caring for spouses or parents reported the most common assistance needs to be with physical mobility, memory issues, chronic illness and mental health challenges.

The responsibilities that come along with this are vast, as well. From transportation to meal planning to navigating healthcare, caregivers say that providing help requires much time, effort and mental capacity. The majority of those who care for children, parents or partners say they worry about care and support often or all the time.

While direct care, especially for children, is where people spend the majority of hours per week, coordinating their loved one's care and other various support takes multiple hours, too. There is a hefty financial commitment for most caregivers as well; children again take the top spot, but those caring for adults often spend an average of hundreds per month.

It's important to keep in mind that though women make up the majority of caregivers, more men are taking on this role, especially for their spouses. This means no matter the demographics of a workforce, there are bound to be caregivers who could benefit from employer support.

The toll caregiving can take

No matter what kind of care someone is providing, the experience can wear them down physically, emotionally and financially. Finding out where employees are seeing the most strain can help benefit leaders tailor offerings that make the most difference. For example, 43% of respondents reported feeling stressed or anxious, 35% were experiencing financial difficulty and one in five had delayed their own healthcare due to their obligations.

Despite the challenges, the majority of respondents said they like or love many of the things that occupy their time as a caregiver, emphasizing the devotion they feel to their role. The more benefit leaders know about the kinds of care being done and its impact on their employees, the more they can do to help people balance this alongside their work.

In part two of this series, employees rank the benefits they want most, and the CEO of caregiving platform UrbanSitter shares great ways to support working parents.

Read more about caregiving benefits and trends:

Lee Hafner

Editor, Employee Benefit News