With roughly six million Canadians balancing work and caregiving responsibilities, employers are facing growing pressure to address the impact on productivity, retention and employee well-being.
At Skip, these pressures are increasingly visible across the workforce, particularly among employees managing both childcare and elder-care responsibilities.
“We recognize that our employees don’t leave their personal lives at the door when they log on for work,” says Cailey Brown, head of human resources. “A portion of our workforce is balancing the demands of raising children while navigating the complexities of caring for aging parents.”
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In response, the company is introducing a third-party care navigation platform that connects employees with expert guidance, personalized care plans and support coordinating services for aging loved ones, helping them navigate complex decisions around care, housing and health systems.
“When employees are forced to act as default care navigators without a roadmap, it inevitably leads to burnout and decreased participation,” adds Brown. “Without the right support, talented people may feel they have no choice but to scale back or leave the workforce entirely.”
The platform is being integrated into Skip’s broader benefits strategy, alongside existing supports such as mental-health, fertility and menopause benefits, as part of a more holistic approach to employee well-being.
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“Traditional benefits are no longer adequate and companies need to evolve in line with modern human needs,” she notes. “Supporting our people to do their best work includes providing the peace of mind that their loved ones are cared for.”
The rollout is in its early stages, with an internal launch underway for Canadian employees. “I can tell you that the feedback from our employees upon announcement was overwhelmingly positive, and they are eager for our internal launch,” adds Brown.
Employers are also weighing the business impact. “Turnover is incredibly expensive, often far more than the cost of a proactive benefit,” she emphasizes. “The cost of inaction is already appearing on balance sheets through absenteeism and lost productivity.”
Sustainability comes from listening as much as spending, notes Brown, adding employers must ensure supports are accessible and relevant across different life stages.
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