Easing the load: The caregiver-friendly workplace is emerging
Resource Details
Author(s): Zosia Bielski
Date: February 16, 2026
One in four Canadians cares for a family member or friend with a long-term health condition, physical or mental disability, or problems related to aging, Statistics Canada reports. But while parental leaves and benefits are well-established norms, most employees caring for people at the other end of life do so without help. There remains an unspoken expectation that this kind of care should be handled in private.
Researchers warn that companies failing to address this cohort will face steep losses in productivity and retention. On the other hand, caregivers who get support at work report more trust, loyalty and job satisfaction, which boosts retention. “We know that the people who are caregiving are the ones in the family who are high performing – the ones you rely on. The people pulling their weight caregiving are the ones who are going to pull their weight at work,” said Ms. Haanstra, who led a series of national round tables with Canadian employers aiding these workers. “You have to support them because otherwise you’re going to lose them. It’s crazy to me that more employers don’t see that.”
What sets caregiving-friendly employers apart is a fundamental shift in their workplace culture, according to a deep well of research from Hamilton’s McMaster University. Instead of treating employees’ care responsibilities as a personal problem to solve after hours, managers are aware and respond.
Researchers warn that companies failing to address this cohort will face steep losses in productivity and retention. On the other hand, caregivers who get support at work report more trust, loyalty and job satisfaction, which boosts retention. “We know that the people who are caregiving are the ones in the family who are high performing – the ones you rely on. The people pulling their weight caregiving are the ones who are going to pull their weight at work,” said Ms. Haanstra, who led a series of national round tables with Canadian employers aiding these workers. “You have to support them because otherwise you’re going to lose them. It’s crazy to me that more employers don’t see that.”
What sets caregiving-friendly employers apart is a fundamental shift in their workplace culture, according to a deep well of research from Hamilton’s McMaster University. Instead of treating employees’ care responsibilities as a personal problem to solve after hours, managers are aware and respond.