Employer Engagement Workgroup

DESCRIPTION OF WORKGROUP:  This workgroup consists of individuals and organizations working together in a collaborative nature to raise greater awareness of employers of the many family caregivers they employ and information on how to better support them with their family caregiving responsibilities.

 

THE GOAL: Create a more flexible and supportive employer environment for employees who are supporting and caring for family members.

 

2022 Workplan Key Activity:  Distribute results of the Employer and Working Caregiver Survey and increase awareness of employers of how WFACSA and community supports can help businesses attract and retain caregivers in their workforce.

 

Also check out our issue paper 'Engaging Employers in the Caregiving Crisis: How Supporting Employees Results in Return on Investment'

   

WFACSA releases Wisconsin Employer and
Family Caregiver Survey Results.

 

A Message to Employers...

 

Are you struggling to hire or retain workers? Do you know how many of your employees have family caregiving responsibilities in addition to traditional child rearing?

 

It may surprise you to learn that one in four working-age adults provides care or financial assistance to an older family member, an adult child or other loved one with a disability, or a spouse with a long-term illness. This means that at least one quarter of potential hires and of staff you currently employ are engaged in a balancing act between home and office. Attracting and retaining workers today
requires strategies that stand out from competitors.

 

One relatively easy and low-cost way to grab a job seeker’s attention is to be an employer that understands and supports working caregivers. The benefits to your company will be increased company loyalty, improved individual performance, and higher staff retention. We learned that a few small changes can transform businesses into a place where employees will want to build a long career.

 

To survey your own workforce, visit the Employed Caregiver Survey page of the UW-Madison Division of Extension website and click How To Host a Survey. You can find this resource at:
https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/agingfriendlycommunities/employed-caregiver-survey/
Visit us at https://wisconsincaregiver.org/

 

Or email us at: wfacsa@gmail.com

Click here for a link to a two-page summary.

 

Click here for the full report.

 

Employed Family Caregiver 2 Page Summary Image of Page 1

 

Employed Family Caregiver 2 Page Summary Image of Page 2

 

In 2018 the workgroup conducted a survey to better understand the challenges employers experience as they address the needs of employees with caregiving responsibilities.  More than 200 Wisconsin employers completed the survey and a report of the results can be found here:  Employer Survey Summary  The intent of the survey is to improve information and other resources available to Wisconsin employers as they support all caregivers on the job. 

  

WFACSA continues to educate Wisconsin employers about the prevalence of caregivers in the workplace and how supporting these caregivers is a benefit to their company as well as to their employers.  For more information about employers and caregivers, please contact Lynn Gall: Lynn.Gall@dhs.wisconsin.gov  or Harriet Redman: Harriet@wisconsibs.org