How employers can build family-friendly workplaces without sacrificing productivity

Today's workforce includes millions of employees balancing work alongside caregiving responsibilities. As employers look for ways to attract and retain top talent, creating a family-friendly workplace has become a business priority. The good news? Supporting caregivers and maintaining productivity are not mutually exclusive. At Beacon Hill, we believe organizations can achieve both.

Who are caregivers caring for?

Whether they're caring for an elder, a child or both, care is a widespread responsibility.

Caring for aging adults and family members with medical needs

In America, 59 million+ people care for an adult with either a disability or an involved medical condition¹ and 63 million are responsible for ongoing, complex care in general.²

Caring for children and managing dual caregiving responsibilities

91 million American people have children under 18 that they care forand 29% of those caregivers are in sandwich situations where they are not only caring for a child, but for an adult as well, most often their parent.² With longer lifespans and a complex care landscape for all, care has become quite an obstacle to navigate.

Family-friendly ways to ensure workplace productivity

Show them you care and head off issues before they occur

For new parents and others who took Paid Family and Medical Leave (FMLA or PFML, depending on your state), showing care and being proactive could mean scheduling support check-ins on a regular basis when your team members come back from leave.³

These sorts of meetings shouldn't be limited to the first few months. Keep them going so that you notice and remediate problems if anything is amiss.³

Ongoing support matters. Employees' challenges rarely disappear after the initial transition period, which is why regular check-ins can help identify obstacles early and reinforce a culture of support.

Supporting employees ensures their success and yours.

Educate team members about varied, flexible leave types

Leave can take many forms, and employees aren't always aware of their options. Inform your team about workforce policies and available leave programs so they can make informed decisions based on their unique circumstances.

For example, employees may be able to stagger leave, use intermittent leave when eligible, or coordinate time away from work differently than they initially expected. Helping employees understand their options can reduce stress, support workforce planning and create a smoother experience for everyone involved.

Leave can take many forms, and employees aren't always aware of their options. Inform your team about workforce policies and different options so they can make smart choices for their lives.³

Above all, keep in communication with those taking leave so that you don't lose momentum while they're out and they can slide right back into their role upon return. Proper documentation and alignment are central to that, so make sure you have a repeatable system. Not only is it more efficient, but also objective.

Encourage peer support and professional development

Mentorship builds investment in companies. If employees are regularly earning new skills or finding purpose, they will work harder and stay longer.³

Also, 1:1 relationships can be maintained flexibly, without harming workplace excellence. These sorts of arrangements spark new interests, bond coworkers and create new paths to fresh skills.

Offer childcare on-site or dependent care stipends

Affordability and availability of childcare remain major challenges for working parents. When employees struggle to secure reliable care, employers may experience increased absenteeism, reduced engagement and higher turnover. By offering on-site childcare, childcare subsidies, or dependent care assistance, organizations can help reduce those barriers while strengthening recruitment and retention efforts.

In fact, many employers report that childcare benefits positively impact talent attraction, retention and productivity. When employees feel supported both professionally and personally, they are often better positioned to stay focused, engaged and committed to their work.

Access to family-friendly benefits can play a significant role in attraction and retention decisions. To that point, "1 in 5 U.S. workers have left a job because their employer didn’t provide adequate care benefits, and 1 in 5 say they would switch jobs for better support."⁴

Many employers have already seen the value of offering these kinds of benefits. They have noted that "child care benefits have a positive impact on talent recruitment (81%), retention (80%), and productivity (82%)."⁴

Invest in a Dependent Care FSA (DC-FSA)

In addition to childcare support, employers should consider benefits that help employees care for aging parents and other dependents.

One type of dependent benefit employers may want to add is a Dependent Care FSA (DC-FSA)⁵ to take care of elders, taking some weight off workers who are caring for aging family members.

Focus on outcomes rather than rigid schedules

Allowing people time to attend appointments, complete pickups and dropoffs or to complete minor caregiving-driven chores, as long as those things don't conflict with meetings, is a strong retention strategy. However, it's important to establish the ground rules.

To get you started, begin thinking about:

• The number of hours you expect people to spend on work per day or per week.
• How you will message that commitments can't outpace the work they're hired to do.
• How to communicate expectations clearly.

Organizations don't have to choose between supporting caregivers and maintaining productivity. By creating flexible policies, investing in employee support programs and setting clear expectations, employers can build workplaces where people and performance thrive together. At Beacon Hill, we understand that every workforce is different. That's why we partner with employers to develop recruiting and workforce strategies that support employees, strengthen retention and help organizations meet their long-term goals.

Sources and inspiration

1. New Data on Family Caregivers in the U.S.
2. 2025 REPORT: Transforming Family Caregiving Through Data
3. 5 tips for supporting new parents at work
4. New Employer Child Care Survey from CARE.com
5. What Is a Dependent Care FSA (DC-FSA)?
    

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