For Employers and Business Owners

Working Caregivers and Your Business

It’s been called the “silent productivity killer.” Twenty percent of employees in almost any business are involved in caring for their parent(s) or older person. The reality for working caregivers is that they must often miss work, they face many workday interruptions, or they even quit or retire early as their parent-care worries escalate.

Absenteeism, lost productivity and turnover can cost your business up to
$3,000 per year for every employee who is caring for an older person.
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Like most people, working caregivers feel ill-informed about the problems of aging, unequipped to help, and unaware of resources that are available to assist them. Lacking adequate knowledge about the issues their parents face and how they can help, your employee caregivers face difficult choices about how to do their jobs well and also help their family.

The Problems: loss of focus on the job, productivity losses, and less-than-effective care giving

Solutions: KitzWorks provides access to knowledge and resources needed by your employee caregivers. Workplace-based education and individual planning opportunities arm employees with information and support, allowing them to be focused and effective as caregivers without sacrificing success at their jobs.

The Results: greater employee productivity, fewer workplace distractions, and successful care giving
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Working caregivers fill a substantial percentage of middle and senior management positions, and have the skills and experience employers need to operate and compete successfully. The employees that companies can least afford to lose are those most affected by the conflicting responsibilities of their job and care giving Without employer assistance and support, the outcome for most employees is an unsuccessful juggling act.

The Problems: attrition of experienced employees, profit losses, and competitive disadvantage.

Solutions: KitzWorks provides managerial training and education to help supervisors and managers recognize and respond to caregiving concerns of employees. Workplace-based education and individual planning opportunities help employees successfully balance their work and family responsibilities.

The Results: reductions in absenteeism, improved productivity, and enhanced employee morale.

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KitzWorks Workplace Tools

KitzWorks is a unique resource for employers. KitzWorks provides workplace education, consulting and eldercare planning services to help businesses respond to care giving issues faced by employees. We help minimize productivity losses, turnover and low morale related to working caregivers. KitzWorks customizes its services to meet each employer’s unique circumstances.

Workplace Education

Each of the following one-hour seminars can be scheduled when needed—before,during or after the workday, during lunch, or on weekends. Every employee participant learns pragmatic skills and receives resource and contact information about helpful local organizations. A half– to full-day seminar is also available that covers all of the topics at one time. Half- and full-day seminar participants receive a resource binder filled with decision tools, written information and additional go-to resources. These seminars provide a great avenue for employees to find support and learn from peers.

Seminar Topics Include:

• Breaking the Ice and Getting Organized
• Caring from a Distance
• Making Good Support and Care Decisions
• How Do We Pay for Long Term Care?
• Important Legal Issues
• Care giving and the Effect on Your Family
• A Balanced Life: Working Caregivers Surviving Stress

Supervisor/Manager Training

This 60-minute education program helps supervisors and managers increase their knowledge about the impact of care giving in the workplace, how to recognize care giving issues, and steps they can take to assist their employees.

Comprehensive Eldercare Planning

KitzWorks professionals meet with employees privately, on-site or off, to create a comprehensive, long range plan that ties together family values, health and personal care, housing, support services, legal issues and financing options for the care of their loved ones. We help employees implement and manage these plans while remaining productive on the job.

Educational Support

KitzWorks can help companies develop an in-house resource library, and will provide monthly or quarterly articles for company newsletters that contain useful, current information for caregivers and employees planning for their own long term care needs.

Workplace Survey and Analysis

A confidential survey of your employees provides insight into the extent of care giving issues and helps identify specific needs. How many employees actively care for an older person or expect to within a few years? How many older relatives live in distant communities? What support services would your employees find most helpful? Tailor future benefits and follow-up programs to employees’ actual needs.

Click Here For Workplace Education Tools