A growing share of American workers are quietly balancing two full-time responsibilities: paid employment and unpaid caregiving. The term sandwich generation fits, as they're caring for both aging parents and children at the same time, often while also holding down a job, managing a household, and trying to maintain their own well-being.
Recently, senior care and caregiving have been making national headlines. Documentaries like Caregiving, produced with Bradley Cooper, and Taking Care, from Seth Rogen and Lauren Miller Rogen, have brought deeply personal caregiving stories to a wider audience, showing the universal nature of this challenge.
One in four1 American adults now belongs to the sandwich generation, a nearly 50%2 increase since 2015. These caregivers represent 23%3 of today's workforce, a number that's projected to grow significantly in the coming years.
The numbers every employer should know
According to the Care for Business Future of Benefits Report, 78% of employees say balancing work and caregiving affects stress levels at work. Yet, caregiver stress often remains hidden from employers. Here's what that strain looks like:
- Time lost: Sandwich generation adults report that caring for parents and kids takes 50 hours4 a week. That's more than a full-time job, on top of their real one.
- Financial strain: Two-thirds5 of sandwich generation caregivers say they struggle to balance work and caregiving, and many have reduced their hours or shifted from full-time to part-time. Between these career sacrifices and the rising costs of care, day-to-day financial strain is settling in, and long-term savings are dwindling.
- The impact on health: In Care.com's Cost of Care Report, 71% of parents said managing their caregiving responsibilities has taken a toll on their health. Most concerning, 29% said they have considered suicide or self-harm.
The numbers tell part of the story, but the reality runs deeper. Behind each data point is a person navigating impossible trade-offs between their career and care, focus and fatigue, professional goals and personal obligations.
How employers can begin to help
Whether you lead a team or have the ability to influence caregiving benefits at your company, you can help employees navigate caregiving demands. This means creating space for honest conversations, allowing flexibility, and offering practical resources that can ease the load.
Here are five ideas employers can consider to help their teams:
Why this matters now
With longer life expectancy, delayed parenthood, and increased multi-generational living, the sandwich generation is growing. And so is the impact on the workforce: Employee caregivers are doing double duty every day, and they're bringing the challenges to work with them in the form of lost productivity, increased absenteeism, and turnover.
When employers invest in care, they're not just helping families — they're future-proofing their workforce.
Learn more about the impact of caregiving and what can be done to help.
This post was created by Care for Business with Insider Studios.
1Pew Research Center, April 8, 2022
2AARP, July 24, 2025
3 Pew Research Center, April 8, 2022
4 New York Life, November 1, 2023
5SP Global, May 16, 2024
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