Caregiving has moved up the employer priority list. But with healthcare costs rising, benefits budgets under scrutiny, and care challenges continuing to disrupt the workforce, employers are focused on where and how support can make the biggest difference.
According to EBRI’s Financial Wellbeing Employer Survey, 40% of employers currently offer caregiving benefits, while 50% say they plan to offer them. Barbara Marder of the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) also points to growing engagement: 80% of companies say employee engagement with caregiving benefits increased over the last 12 months.
For 2027, the shift isn’t simply toward more caregiving benefits. It’s toward a more deliberate approach to where support is needed, what it can look like, and how to create a culture where employees feel comfortable using it.
We spoke with HR leaders and industry experts about three trends shaping that shift.
1. The caregiving conversation is shifting from why to what’s next
The business case for caregiving support isn’t new. What’s changing is the precision employers bring to it.
As Nicole Riehl, President & CEO of Executives Partnering To Invest in Children (EPIC), notes, “Increasingly, employers are using workforce data to understand where caregiving creates the greatest operational pain points and challenges in their ability to build talent and achieve industry growth.”
Megan Flaherty, Partner at Mercer, also sees a more purposeful approach to investment. Even as rising healthcare costs force employers to weigh investments carefully, many continue investing in caregiving because they see value for employees and the organization.
The stakes extend well into the future. Population aging, lower immigration, and caregiving responsibilities are shrinking the labor supply, says Matt Nestler, PhD, Senior Economist at KPMG, contributing to tighter labor markets and greater competition for talent.
By factoring caregiving into workforce planning, employers can address immediate challenges while building a more resilient workforce for the future.
2. Building benefits for your workforce’s caregiving needs
Regardless of role or industry, working caregivers increasingly value flexibility. Employers are responding with adaptable benefits strategies that reflect employees’ needs across different roles and life stages.
That can mean a broader mix of solutions, from leave and flexibility to back-up care, on-site child care, care navigation, elder care, pet care, school-age solutions, and community-based approaches. Riehl sees employers considering that wider range as they tailor support to their workforce and communities.
A benefit that works for an office employee with predictable hours may be less useful to a nurse working 12-hour shifts. As Molly Day, Chief Operating Officer at Moms First, puts it, “They recognize that a nurse working a 12-hour shift has different needs than a retail associate or an office employee. Child care is not a one-size-fits-all solution.”
Employees may not recognize the value of a benefit until their circumstances change. That makes it important for employers to anticipate needs rather than wait for requests. Jennifer Moss, Workplace Culture strategist, Researcher, and Author of "Why Are We Here?" points to employers building support across life stages, including reliable child care, back-up care when regular arrangements fall through, ramp-back time after family leave, and elder care guidance for employees facing unfamiliar care decisions.
The goal isn’t to anticipate every need with another program. It’s to recognize that what employees value evolves along with their lives. Or, as Ben Eubanks, Chief Research Officer at Lighthouse Research & Advisory, puts it, “In the case of benefits, one size fits one.”
Everyday work practices matter, too. Nestler explains, “Some managers schedule team meetings during core midday hours to avoid conflicts with school and daycare drop-offs and pick-ups.”
As healthcare costs and other economic pressures compete for employers’ attention, Day says the question is becoming less, “What benefits can we afford?” and more, “Which investments will have the greatest impact on our workforce?”
The opportunity is to build a benefits strategy that meets workers where they are, directing resources toward solutions that help employees while delivering value to the organization. In 2027, that may mean thinking more broadly about where benefits end, where workplace practices begin, and how the two can work together.
3. Caregiving culture is on the rise
Benefits can signal that an employer supports caregivers. Culture determines whether employees believe it.
For some employees, the gap between the two can have real career consequences. Dan Pontefract, Leadership & Culture Strategist, and Author of "The Future of Work is Grey" points to studies showing that roughly two-thirds of sandwich-generation employees hide the full extent of their caregiving responsibilities from their employer. More than half, he says, turn down promotions because of it. What happens inside the workplace matters: “I find that the better employers are treating care as part of the culture rather than something to be frightened of offering.”
To ensure everyday practices reflect the support their benefits promise, employers are preparing managers to respond constructively to caregiving needs, setting clear expectations around flexibility, and making it easier for employees to discuss schedule constraints and pursue career opportunities.
Moss sees employers addressing that risk before employees reach a breaking point: “They are also training managers to talk openly about workload and capacity so that people feel comfortable asking for help long before they reach the burnout stage.”
Culture also influences how easily employees find help. As Eubanks explains, “Someone who is trying to support a parent or grandparent doesn’t just need time. They need resources, information, and recommendations. They need community.”
Employers should focus on connecting employees with relevant resources, not just offering benefits. Clear communication, expert guidance, and care navigation can help employees understand their options and make informed decisions as their needs change.
Dave Jacobs, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Homethrive, sees employers paying more attention to how employees find the right help when they need it: “The conversation is shifting toward solutions that improve engagement with existing benefits, simplify navigation, and help employees access the right support at the right time.”
In 2027, the measure of a caregiver-friendly culture may be less about what an employer says it supports and more about what employees feel able to do.
Where employers go from here
For employers, the takeaway for 2027 isn’t simply that caregiving has become a workforce priority. It’s that the response is becoming more deliberate: understanding where care creates pressure, thinking more broadly about the support employees may need, and creating a culture where that support works in practice.
As Day puts it, “Supporting working parents is one of those rare opportunities where doing the right thing also makes strong business sense.” The employers best positioned for the future will treat caregiving as an ongoing workforce priority, investing in benefits that deliver meaningful value and fostering a culture where employees feel comfortable accessing support.
Bright Horizons helps organizations offer comprehensive family care support, from child care and back-up care to elder care, care advising, and more, so employees can find the resources they need as their circumstances change.
Explore Family Care Solutions from Bright Horizons and start building a coordinated caregiving strategy that evolves with your workforce.
