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Forbes
10-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
How To Support Caregiving Employees Without Losing Business Momentum
C-level executive leaders are reimagining workplace policies to acknowledge employees as whole people, not just job titles—and with good reason: Nearly three quarters of all U.S. employees handle some sort of caregiving duty at home. For leaders aiming to build a loyal, productive and resilient workforce, supporting team members who juggle ongoing personal responsibilities at home in addition to their professional work is essential. By taking care of employees who are also caregivers, organizations stand to benefit from stronger engagement, higher morale, lower burnout rates and better retention. Here, 18 Forbes Coaches Council members share creative and actionable strategies for C-suite leaders who want to support caregivers in meaningful ways that benefit both their people and their business. 1. Align The Culture With Caregiving Cultural alignment is key to making caregiver support, such as flexibility, hybrid work and employee resource groups, effective. Even the best-designed, most well-intentioned policies will fall flat if the workplace culture stigmatizes caregiving or equates flexibility with a lack of ambition. Caregiver-friendly cultures retain experienced talent and cultivate a more resilient workforce. - Chetna Sethi, Luminous Connections LLC 2. Make Flexibility A Top Priority There are a variety of research-based best practices for companies to implement that support caregivers. However, the one that continues to be at the top of this list are policies around flexibility. This does not mean that employees work less. When people know they can meet or exceed expectations at work with a flexible schedule, as needed, they are more productive and have less stress. - Susan Madsen, Jon M. Huntsman School of Business 3. Listen To All Employees' Needs The key is dialogue, dialogue, dialogue. Caregivers each have their own unique situation, and their situations can vary widely. You should try to get some formal or informal feedback about what would be helpful; and don't forget about the people who are not caregivers so that there is not an implied 'benefit' to having children or caring for elderly parents or pets. - Brenda Abdilla, Management Momentum LLC 4. Offer Flex Time And Stipends C-suite leaders can support caregivers with half-day Fridays, flexible schedules, caregiver stipends and partnerships for discounted home services. These can reduce burnout, boost morale and increase retention—proving that when companies care for caregivers, everyone wins. - Dr. Marita Kinney, BCC, Msc.D, Pure Thoughts Publishing and Wellness Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify? 5. Give Paid 'Caregiving Credits' A creative solution is to offer flexible 'caregiving credits'—paid hours employees can use for caregiving responsibilities, similar to personal time off, but specifically designed for care. This acknowledges their dual roles and reduces stress, leading to greater loyalty, focus and productivity. For the company, it enhances retention, morale and employer brand in a competitive talent market. - Gamze Acar Bayraktaroglu, Motiva International 6. Create A 'Caregiver Concierge' One strategy is a 'caregiver concierge' program—a one-stop support hub where employees juggling caregiving get personalized help: flexible hours, expert resources and even backup care options. It's not just a benefit; it's a lifeline that says, 'We see you, and we've got your back.' For companies, this means happier employees who bring their best selves to work, because when life and work align, everyone wins. - Shikha Bajaj, Own Your Color 7. Provide On-Site Childcare And Clear Support Channels Caregiving in corporate America is such an important issue. Companies need to be fully focused on helping their employee caregivers. First, you should start by asking them what they would find most beneficial and try to implement that. Second, it'd be good to add childcare options on the premises. Finally, setting up a clear delineation of who the person or persons in charge may be can also really help. - Ash Varma, Varma & Associates 8. Ask Employees What They Need I think perhaps the best solution is a very uncreative one: Talk to each employee and learn what kind of support actually feels supportive. It benefits both because the company saves time and money by learning from the best source, their people, what will truly work. Employees, in turn, feel heard, understood and genuinely supported in the way they need, which builds trust. - Kelly Stine, The Leading Light Coach 9. Build ERGs And Flexible 'Care Blocks' They can start by acknowledging that caregivers in their organization aren't just parents—they may be supporting aging parents, ill partners, siblings or others. A creative solution is to offer flexible 'care blocks' and build a caregiving ERG for peer support. This recognition fosters inclusion, reduces stress and boosts retention by showing real commitment to employee well-being. - Stephan Lendi, Newbury Media & Communications GmbH 10. Launch Peer-Led Caregiver Circles You can create peer-led caregiver circles. These confidential, opt-in spaces provide emotional support and resource sharing, led by employees and sponsored by leadership. You should give these groups a voice and amplify their key needs and messages. It fosters trust, normalizes caregiving and promotes a sense of belonging. - Mel Cidado, Breakthrough Coaching 11. Introduce Flexible Micro-Leaves Banks One creative move is to introduce flexible micro-leave banks: bite-sized blocks of paid time off that don't require a Shakespearean drama to get approved. It's a signal to caregiving employees: 'We see you, and we trust you.' The ROI is lower burnout, higher retention and a workplace culture that actually walks the empathy talk, instead of just posting about it on LinkedIn. - Anastasia Paruntseva, Visionary Partners Ltd. 12. Celebrate Caregivers Publicly One thing you can do is establish 'Caregiver Appreciation Day'—an intentional moment to celebrate the contributions of employees who are also caregivers. This dedicated day not only honors their dual roles, but also gives them space to share their stories, express how they navigate work while caregiving and voice the kind of support they need. - Sandra Balogun, The CPA Leader 13. Build An Internal Virtual 'Care Hub' Launch a virtual 'Care Hub,' an AI-powered internal platform designed specifically for caregivers' unique needs. This hub connects caregiving employees to personalized resources, on-demand emergency care options, micro-mentoring opportunities and a confidential peer support community. It's not just a tool; it's a lifeline that recognizes the emotional weight caregivers carry. - Veronica Angela, CONQUER EDGE, LLC 14. Focus On Outcomes, Not Process Your goal should be to focus on the outcome, not the process. Leaders who point their attention to the process by which accountabilities are met tend to be (or be experienced as) micromanagers. A focus on completeness, timeliness and quality enables leaders to be experienced as treating their team with respect and enabling them to create the kind of life rhythm that elevates satisfaction, engagement and retention. - David Taylor-Klaus, MCC, CPCC, DTK Coaching 15. Cover Basic Needs First Before getting creative, companies should ensure basic caregiver needs are met: paid time off for new parents or for caregiving emergencies, flexible work hours when needed and a family-first culture. As a mother to a young child, I would not even consider working somewhere that didn't offer those things in today's world. Empathy and understanding from leadership go a long way. - Megan Malone, Truity 16. Remove Core Hours; Provide Real Flexibility Leaders should remove core hours and provide real flexibility to allow staff to work on their tasks on their own. This takes trust and responsibility on both sides, and it can get done. You should allow staff to perform by setting realistic expectations, standards and goals with ample time to achieve them. Employees and caregivers will both benefit from the flexibility, keep their professional ambitions and live fully. - Miriam Simon, Mi Sí Coaching and Consulting LLC 17. Offer Tools And Emotional Support Caregiving is an everyday responsibility, and many employees provide caregiving services for their parents or children. Honoring schedule flexibility is a true employment benefit and morale booster. Promoting support groups in the workplace and offering tools and emotional support further demonstrates to employees that they are cared for. Employees who feel valued work harder for their leaders. - Diane Hudson, cpcc-careercoach 18. Listen To Their Unique Challenges Find a way to listen to caregivers and live in their shoes for a moment. When presented with the unique challenges of being a caregiver, it often softens a leader, allowing them to cater to people versus putting them in a general category. As a business owner and caregiver to an adult son, I know firsthand the sacrifices you have to make to take care of someone. Leaders must know the nuances of each situation. - John M. O'Connor, Career Pro Inc.
Forbes
17-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
The Adaptive Edge: How Life And Business Thrive On Flexibility
Dr. Chetna Sethi, Founder and CEO, Luminous Connections. In both life and business, one truth remains universal: Plans will change. Whether you're a CEO steering a company through market shifts or a parent navigating a toddler's meltdown, the ability to adapt quickly and intelligently is what separates survival from sustained success. Yet, adaptation is often misunderstood. We celebrate planning, strategy and stability—but rarely the skill that allows those plans to flex and still flourish. In reality, adaptation is not a sign of failure—it's a signal of maturity and resilience. It's also one of the least talked-about keys to achieving lifestyle balance. Here's why making intentional adaptations is not only vital but increasingly nonnegotiable for anyone looking to lead, live and thrive in a dynamic world. Every adaptation contains a common structure: An existing plan, a disruption to that plan and a new plan to move forward. From the mundane to the monumental, adaptation plays out constantly in our lives. We rarely even notice the small ones: • You spill coffee on your shirt before a meeting—so you swap it out and move on. • Your favorite breakfast item runs out—so you reach for toast. • Traffic stalls your commute—so you choose a new route. These are quick, almost automatic adjustments. But their frequency underscores a crucial point: We are adapting all the time, and our ability to do so efficiently keeps our day (and mindset) in balance. Of course, not all adaptations are so seamless. Some require deeper thinking, involve other people or depend on forces beyond our control: • A delayed flight forces a full day of rescheduling. • A double-booked calendar requires reassigning tasks or delegating meetings. • A childcare cancellation disrupts your workday entirely. At this level, adaptation becomes more about coordination, collaboration and compromise. The stakes are higher, the friction more noticeable. But the payoff? Even greater. These mid-level adaptations build resilience—in our routines, our teams and our emotional toolkit. Then there are macro-level adaptations: industry pivots, career transitions or structural shifts in family life. These are the big ones: • You exit a failing product line to pursue a new business direction. • You pull your child from a school system that no longer aligns with your values. • You overhaul leadership within your company to address cultural misalignment. These adaptations take time, vision and leadership. And while they're the most challenging, they also hold the greatest potential for alignment and growth. In business, the concept of 'strategic agility' has become a defining factor of long-term success. Static models are outdated. Today's leading companies empower teams to respond in real time to customer needs, market trends and internal challenges. Think of Netflix pivoting from DVD rentals to streaming. Or Slack evolving from a failed video game platform into a global communications tool. These weren't accidents. They were intentional adaptations based on disruption. But businesses don't adapt—people do. And if you want an adaptive workforce, you need a culture that rewards experimentation, supports failure as a learning tool and builds psychological safety around change. Adaptive leaders model this by staying flexible themselves. They shift strategies, not values. They maintain clarity of purpose, but not rigidity in execution. Let's look at an example. A recent client, the president of her company, approached me with a clear objective: to transform the toxic culture within her organization. High employee turnover, poor communication among teams and low morale were clear indicators that deep change was needed. Together, we embarked on a comprehensive cultural transformation initiative. What emerged was a robust, multilayered plan that included strategic personnel changes, leadership restructuring, the implementation of a new internal communication system, an accountability framework and a renewed, organization-wide commitment to the company's core values and mission. This macro-level adaptation required a coordinated effort across multiple systems—human resources, leadership, operations and culture—to align and sustain meaningful change. So, where does lifestyle balance come into play? Balance isn't the absence of disruption—it's your capacity to manage it. When your life or business is overly rigid, even small changes create outsized stress. But when adaptation becomes second nature, you move fluidly between Plan A, B or even Z. The most balanced people aren't living perfectly scheduled lives—they're living flexibly within thoughtful structures. They expect change and plan for contingencies, build margin into their schedules and let go of 'perfect' and embrace 'what's possible now.' Balance, then, is less about holding things still and more about moving with intention when things shift. Whether you're an executive, entrepreneur or everyday decision-maker, here are five strategies to strengthen your adaptive edge: 1. Normalize change. View change not as failure but as feedback. Train your mind to respond with curiosity instead of panic. 2. Design for flexibility. Build systems that can bend without breaking. Whether it's your calendar or your product road map, leave room for unexpected shifts. 3. Empower decision-making. Whether at work or home, distribute responsibility. When more people can adapt independently, the whole system becomes more resilient. 4. Practice daily micro-adaptations. Start noticing how often you adapt already—then celebrate it. Awareness builds confidence and readiness for bigger changes. 5. Protect your energy. High-level adaptations are mentally taxing. Balance them with renewal practices—rest, reflection and support—to avoid burnout. In a world marked by volatility and disruption, adaptability has become the defining trait of effective leadership and sustainable living. It's no longer a soft skill; it's a strategic imperative. So, whether you're rerouting a commute, rethinking a team structure or rebuilding a business plan, remember this: Your ability to adapt is directly tied to your ability to thrive. And in that adaptability lies your deepest balance—not in resisting disruption, but in reshaping your response to it. Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify?
