A Workplace Environmental Scan of Employed Carers During COVID-19

Regina Ding (), Jenny Ploeg and Allison Williams
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Regina Ding: McMaster University
Jenny Ploeg: McMaster University
Allison Williams: McMaster University

Journal of Family and Economic Issues, 2024, vol. 45, issue 1, No 16, 212-235

Abstract: Abstract The carer-employee experience has undergone multiple shifts during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study seeks to understand how changes in the workplace as a result of the pandemic have impacted employed carers with their ability to perform both care obligations and paid work responsibilities. Using an online workplace-wide survey at a large Canadian firm, we conducted an environmental scan of: the current state of workplace supports and accommodations, supervisor attitudes, and carer-employee burden and health. Our findings demonstrate that while employees are generally in good health, care burden and time spent caregiving has been higher during COVID-19. Notably, employee presenteeism is higher during the pandemic than it was previously, with carer-employees experiencing significantly reduced levels of co-worker support. The most common workplace adaptation to COVID-19, work-from-home, was preferred by all employees as it allowed greater schedule control. However, this comes at the cost of reduced communications and sense of workplace culture, especially for carer-employees. We identified several actionable changes within the workplace, including: greater visibility of existing carer resources, and standardized training of managers on carer issues.

Keywords: Caregiving; Workplace; COVID-19; Work-life conflict (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1007/s10834-023-09898-9

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