A growing share of the workforce is now part of the “sandwich generation”—the cohort of people caring for both aging parents and children. For these employees, balancing their professional responsibilities with the work of caregiving on two fronts is a silent, significant burden. They may not be talking about it, but it’s shaping their performance, their ambitions, and their career paths.
Sparrow surveyed hundreds of U.S. caregivers, representing a population of roughly 80 million Americans, to understand what these workers are going through. The results reveal a workforce under strain, but also many opportunities for employers to support them.
Here’s what we found:
- The dual-caregiving squeeze is real. 42% of respondents are simultaneously caring for a child and an aging family member, and 58% have had to take time off to manage both at once.
- Burnout is widespread, and it’s costing companies talent. 83% say caregiving affects their wellbeing, and 30% have avoided new projects or promotions as a result.
- Presenteeism is the hidden cost. 55% of caregivers haven’t taken time off when they needed it, citing financial concerns or fear of career impact. The result: reduced hours, missed deadlines, and decisions made under cognitive depletion.
- Retention risk is significant and often mislabeled. 68% of caregivers say they’d leave for a role with better caregiver support. These departures are typically chalked up to “better opportunities,” obscuring the real cause.
- The impact isn’t evenly distributed. 54% of women provide regular care for an aging relative, compared to 27% of men. Women are also far less likely to disclose the impact of this burden, and they suffer for it professionally: 20% of women have scaled back career ambitions due to caregiving responsibilities.
The good news is that this is a solvable problem. Employers who make caregiving visible from the top down can shift this dynamic before it shows up as attrition. In addition, a growing number of state-level paid leave programs are available to help offset the cost of expanding caregiver benefits.
This report goes deeper into the data, looking at the tension between official leave policies and how employees use them, and the disproportionate toll on women’s career trajectories and leadership pipelines. It also includes a practical set of recommendations for building a culture where caregivers don’t have to choose between their job and their family.
Download the full report to understand what your caregiving employees are navigating—and how to support them before it’s too late.