DFA’s Action Steps are designed to assist organizations with implementing practical strategies to humanize the workplace, empower people, and foster innovation. Members can access full versions the Action Steps in the Member Resource Center.
Rethinking Caregiver Support at Work
Caregiving can enter an employee’s life in many ways. It may be planned months in advance, as with the birth or adoption of a child, or happen suddenly when a parent becomes ill, a spouse or partner has a medical emergency, or an existing caregiving responsibility intensifies. It may require an extended leave from work, a temporary change in schedule, ongoing flexibility, or simply greater understanding during a particularly demanding period.
As explored in DFA’s 2026 Caregiving Impact Report, caregiving is increasingly a reality across life stages. According to AARP, nearly one in four U.S. adults is a family caregiver and many employees are balancing those responsibilities alongside full workloads without ever formally identifying themselves as caregivers at work.
Organizations have responded by expanding leave, flexibility, benefits, coaching, caregiver resources, and other forms of support. But the presence of these programs does not necessarily tell us what it feels like to navigate them as an employee. A policy may be generous on paper while the experience of actually using it misses the mark.
That experience can also vary depending on the type of caregiving need. An employee preparing for parental leave may have months to plan, while someone whose parent suddenly needs care may have only hours. Another employee may never need formal leave at all, but may need flexibility over an extended period as they coordinate appointments or other responsibilities…..
Mapping the Caregiver Experience
Identify the Caregiving Journeys You Want to Map
Start by identifying several caregiving scenarios that reflect the range of experiences employees in your organization may encounter. As the DFA 2026 Caregiving Impact Report highlights, caregiving can include, but isn’t necessarily limited to, parenting, eldercare, supporting loved ones with medical needs, fertility journeys, adoption or fostering, and responsibilities that develop gradually or change unexpectedly over time.
Consider mapping scenarios such as….
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