What does a caregiver-friendly employer actually look like?
At the National Caregiver Day Symposium in April 2026, Tyler Downey from SEIU Healthcare shared something striking.
He surveyed their members.
75% are caregivers.
Three out of four employees.
And instead of ignoring it, they built around it.
Here's what the ideal employer does:
They normalize the conversation.
It's okay to say: "I am a caregiver."
That statement doesn't hurt your career.
Caregiver champions exist at every level who make it safe to talk about the stress.
They provide real flexibility.
Contiguous leave options for when crises happen.
Flex hours for care appointments.
The ability to step away for emergencies without justification.
They offer practical supports.
Access to eldercare navigation resources.
Backup care options when regular care falls through.
Designated parking for caregivers who need to leave quickly.
They train managers.
To recognize caregiver burnout.
To ask "How can we support you?" instead of "Is everything okay with your performance?"
They measure what matters.
Caregiver retention rates.
Employee caregiving needs.
ROI of support programs.
When employees admit loved ones into long-term care because their employer won't accommodate them - that's a retention problem.
When 75% of your workforce is caregiving silently and burning out… you're losing talent and institutional knowledge.
One in three employees are caregivers.
The question isn't whether you have them.
The question is whether you're supporting them.
Or losing them.
Are you a care-concsious organization? What are you doing that is accommodating caregiving for your employees?
checkout all the resources McMaster has on this topic here: https://ghw.mcmaster.ca/tools-resources/