5 things employers should know on caregiving and remote work

5 things employers should know about caregiving and remote work

January 19, 2023 4:14 PM

Initially, remote work was a temporary solution for office workers at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Three years later, many working caregivers have found that work-life balance is possible — if they are not forced into the office every day.

Mother Honestly, a caregiving benefits provider for employers, and Care.com, an online marketplace for child care and senior care professionals, teamed up and surveyed over 1,000 caregivers and 500 C-suite executives, HR leaders and senior-level managers about what remote work has meant for families. Notably, 73% of respondents use the time they save working from home to care for their kids, and 70% use it to spend more time with their partner or spouse.

"Simply stated, remote work works," says Natalie Mayslich, president of Care.com. "Time people previously spent commuting now translates into more time with their children and their seniors. This report shows that while remote work may not be the cure-all to making work and life manageable, the relationship between the two is undeniable."

Mayslich doubts that employers can get rid of remote work now that it's proven to be vital to work-life balance. Still, out of 66% of respondents who can currently work from home in some capacity, only 38% have been notified that they're permanently on a hybrid work model. Some employers are holding back from making an official decision while others are pushing for a return to the office.

However, Blessing Adesiyan, founder and CEO of Mother Honestly, believes it's too late for employers to pursue an in-person-only work model.

"I think that ship sailed a long time ago," she says. "Remote work is here to stay, and employers must do the work required to redesign a workplace that is flexible and inclusive or risk losing key talents."

Here are five findings from Mother Honestly and Care.com's "The Modern Workplace Report" that employers should consider before axing remote work.

Remote work is leveling the gender playing field

While caregiving responsibilities are often shouldered by women, the ability to work from home has made it easier for men to contribute to child care and household chores. The Modern Workplace Report found that 47% of men with a child under 15 felt they could spend more time with their kids and better help out their partners.

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"We had initially thought that remote work would mean even additional household and caregiving responsibilities for women," says Adesiyan. "But men are stepping up more than ever before due to this newfound flexibility, and it's meant even more opportunities for women to slow down on the homefront and ramp up on the workfront."

Mayslich acknowledges that remote work cannot eliminate gender bias in the workplace on its own, but it does establish a stronger foundation for equity in the home — and that's half the battle.

Managers and caregivers are on the same page

According to the report, 77% of managers and 76% of caregivers agree that remote work improves workers' overall quality of life. For Adesiyan, this means remote work has finally proven itself after three years of uncertainty from leaders.

"I think what was surprising was the hope and optimism of both employees and employers," she says. "It used to be that there was some kind of war going on between employees and the workplace. And I think for the first time in a long time, we are seeing lots of areas where both parties agree that remote work works."

There doesn’t have to be a downside to remote work

Despite the vote of confidence from managers on the well-being front, leaders and workers alike are worried about the threat remote work poses to career advancement. In fact, 58% of women and 64% of men say remote work limits their career, while 48% of managers believe showing up to the office equates to more advancement opportunities.

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However, if employers truly commit to integrating remote work into their company, then promotions shouldn't hinge on something as arbitrary as physical visibility, explains Adesiyan.

"Everything should be based on performance and results," she says. "The metrics we use to assess employees should be as decentralized from the location as possible."

Caregivers are working more at home — but they don’t mind

Additionally, the report found that caregivers are working more hours remotely than they would in the office, and managers agree. Half of managers have noticed employees clocking more hours remotely, and only 30% feel employees are working fewer hours. Regardless, nearly 60% agree there has been an uptick in productivity.

Despite these extended hours, caregivers still prefer hybrid over in-person work, with the majority agreeing that remote work is better for their stress and overall happiness.

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"When you look at the totality of the data, longer hours and overall happiness don't appear to be mutually exclusive," says Mayslich. "We believe this is because people have more flexibility and control over their own time. Working remotely allows a dad to log off earlier to attend his daughter's afternoon soccer game. Being there is a big win, even if it means he logs on later that night to finish his work. "

Remote work is here to stay

Over 50% of employees prefer having a remote option, while 44% prefer a hybrid arrangement, according to the report. Adesiyan and Mayslich agree that remote work is becoming a table-stakes benefit — and unless employers want to risk losing talent, they will have to allow their employees to work from home for at least part of the week.

"This report stepped into the minds of business leaders right at the height of return-to-office deliberations across the nation," says Mayslich. "Whether they like it or not, this research serves as a wake-up call to them that they need to rethink return-to-office mandates because the reality is that the way we work and live has changed forever."