As the number of workers acting as caregivers to family members continues to rise, companies have everything to gain by supporting them to reduce absenteeism, encourage commitment, improve quality of life at work and retain talent. Support for caregivers is a real issue for society and is now part of companies' corporate social responsibility policies. It is also enshrined in the labour laws of several countries, starting with those of the European Union.
Background
The number of people aged 65 and over in the EU-27 is set to rise from 89 million in 2010 to 125 million in 2030 (+40%), and the number of people aged 80 and over could triple by 2060, according to the prospective study on care published in France in March 2021 by the Terra Nova think tank and the ‘Demographic Transitions, Economic Transitions’ research chair. The corollary of longer life expectancy is a steady rise in the number of dependent people, estimated at 38.3% in 2030 and over 50% in 2060, compared with 25.9% in 2010. But it will also result in an increase in the number of employees caring for a dependent relative.
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Article authors
Nathalie Tran
Editor-in-Chief Mind HR