This Woman’s Work: The Caregiving Dilemma
The Olympics have begun amid controversy and celebration. We have 75 sports to watch with the world’s best athletes. There will be a lot of women performing and gaining awareness in the next two weeks. However, women have already been making headlines before the Olympics even started. Specifically, they were balking at the restrictive policies for women. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Olympic athletes are not allowed to bring family members. This seemed simple for many athletes, but yet again, one size or policy does not fit all.
Athletes who are also nursing children were prevented from bringing their babies. After a huge outcry from several high-profile women athletes, the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee has reversed the decision. However, athletes who are nursing are still scrambling for childcare and protection protocols since they cannot bring family members. The apparel company Athleta and Olympian Allyson Felix have launched a fund to help athletes offset funds for childcare during competition travel. This is just one example of the many barriers that women face in the workplace.
This is the 2nd post in a 4-week series called This Woman’s Work, which highlights the different challenges that women face when we are asked to bring our whole selves to work. You can read the first post here, where I address the ask by businesses of women employees and the incredible economic burden being carried by women from the COVID-19 pandemic. The premise of this series is based on a recent report released by the Time’s Up Foundation, Women’s Work: Key Policies and Paradigms for An Inclusive Post-Pandemic Economy. Women’s participation in the labor force took a significant dip due to the pandemic, specifically the lack of childcare. However, the issues impacting women were present before this situation and will still be present afterwards.
As I started digging further into this research, I found the following statistics, which are surprising and sobering.
· In one year, women lost 32 years of progress in labor force participation and 22 years of progress in pay equity.
· One third of all U.S. employees have left a job during their career in order to manage an unmet caregiving responsibility.
· Nearly 50% of companies reported lack of childcare as an impediment to hiring or calling back workers during the pandemic.
· On average, Latinx women spend 30 hours a week on caregiving and 44% of their income is spent on caregiving expenses.
· Fifty percent of Black women care for an aging family member and spend 34% of their income on caregiving.
· Forty-two percent of Asian American and Pacific Islander women care for an elderly family member.
Two things stand out to me here. First, caregiving is not just about children; it also includes aging parents and family members who are experiencing medical crises. Second, many women spend a significant amount of income on caregiving.
Non-caregivers may not fully grasp the depth of this issue. Imagine adding a 20% cost to your monthly expenses for caregiving. You must invest time into finding the right caregiver – one with qualifications and experience. You also want to find someone who works well with the person who needs care. You may need to use a facility, like a day care, to provide schedule consistency so you can work. The cost for this caregiving may or may not be covered by your insurance. If it’s childcare, you may be able to set aside pre-tax income. However, the facility may not have openings when you need it. You may be assuming that the facility or caregiver is conveniently located for you. Not always true. In fact, your income may determine your accessibility. For example, higher-income neighborhoods tend to have more childcare options.
Caregiving responsibilities not only impact employees but also companies. If a company is located in a childcare desert, then you are limiting the diversity of candidates. (You can check your state’s status here.) If a company does not offer paid leave or explicitly share their paid leave policies in the hiring process, then you are limiting the diversity of candidates. If a company does not train managers to support caregivers on their teams, then you are limiting the diversity of candidates. Get the picture?
The Time’s Up Foundation shares the following ways to support caregivers in the workplace.
1. Ask explicitly about caregiving needs in employee engagement surveys.
2. Develop your policies and practices in ways that support caregivers.
3. Set up systems of accountability with leadership.
You can find more details in It’s Time to Care: The Economic Case for Investing in a Care Infrastructure. Caregiving is just one responsibility that women carry into the workplace, yet the time, energy, and cost of caregiving takes up significant space in lives of so many. Loftis Partners is one of 300+ #CompaniesThatCare across industries that demonstrated a commitment to building a robust caregiving structure and a more resilient economy as part of the @timesupnow Care Economy Business Council.
Author and activist Maya Angelou said, “A woman in harmony with her spirit is like a river flowing. She goes where she will without pretense and arrives at her destination prepared to be herself and herself only.” How will you support women in the workplace today? Share your thoughts with me on LinkedIn.
References
Branigin, A. (2021). “After outcry, nursing moms can bring their kids to the Olympics. But the rules still may hurt them, experts say.” The Lily. Retrieved here: After outcry, nursing moms can bring their kids to the Olympics. But the rules still may hurt them, experts say. - The Lily
Kohler, J., Odiase, S., and Forden, J. (2021). Women’s Work: Key Policies and Paradigms for an Inclusive Post-Pandemic Economy. Time’s Up Foundation. Retrieved here: Women's Work: Key Policies and Paradigms for An Inclusive Post-Pandemic Economy - TIME'S UP Foundation (timesupfoundation.org)
Palladino, L., and Mabud, R. (2021). “It’s Time to Care: The Economic Case for Investing in a Care Infrastructure.” Time’s Up Foundation. Retrieved here: It’s Time to Care: The Economic Case for Investing in a Care Infrastructure - TIME'S UP Foundation (timesupfoundation.org)
Shacknai, G. (2021). “Athleta and Allyson Felix Launch First-of-its-Kind Childcare Grant Program for Athlete Moms”. Forbes. Retrieved here: Athleta And Allyson Felix Launch First-Of-Its-Kind Childcare Grant Program For Athlete Moms (forbes.com)
Photo by Coen van de Broek on Unsplash