In today’s workplace, employees are managing more than just their professional responsibilities. Many are balancing demanding personal roles, raising children, caring for elderly relatives, supporting other dependents, or looking after pets. These caregiving duties are often invisible, but they have a very real impact on your organisation.

When regular care arrangements fall through, employees are forced to take unplanned time off. This leads to increased absenteeism, reduced productivity, and disruption. For employers, the ripple effect can be costly, affecting team performance, project timelines, and overall business continuity. But there is a solution…

The cost of absenteeism – why care gaps matter

Employees with caregiving responsibilities often face unexpected disruptions in their care arrangements. When this happens, many resort to taking sick days to manage personal responsibilities, even if they’re not ill themselves. And according to the Bright Horizons Modern Families Index 2025, high levels of care breakdowns disrupt five or more days of work.

These absences come at a cost – direct and indirect. When employees are unable to work due to caregiving responsibilities but still receive sick pay, businesses incur direct costs, essentially paying for work that isn’t being delivered. Indirect costs include the expense of agency cover, the time spent reallocating tasks, and the effects of presenteeism.

Many leading employers are now looking at how to reduce the impact of these disruptions through flexible policies, ensuring employees have access to reliable contingency care. When employees feel supported, they’re more focused, less stressed, and better able to deliver consistently.

When half your team has childcare issues – the manager’s dilemma

Many employees are juggling multiple caregiving roles on top of their careers. This is especially true for those in the sandwich generation, who are simultaneously raising children while caring for ageing parents. With so many responsibilities outside of work, it’s no surprise that care breakdowns are common and disruptive to both employees and businesses.

It’s not only full-day absences that disrupt business operations, either. Partial absences, such as employees leaving early or taking half-days to manage unexpected care emergencies, can be just as impactful on an organisation. These short-notice disruptions often leave teams struggling to redistribute workloads, with managers frequently stepping in to cover tasks that their team members are unable to complete.

Proactive support not only prevents last-minute disruptions but also creates a more resilient, engaged, and loyal workforce.

Over time, this added pressure can lead to manager burnout, which not only affects their own wellbeing but also has a knock-on impact across their teams. This effect can manifest as disengagement and even higher turnover rates. While each disruption may seem minor, together they contribute to significant productivity losses across the business.

HR leaders play a crucial role in reducing the impact of caregiving-related absences by implementing benefits and policies that recognise and support employees’ caregiving responsibilities. By offering practical solutions, organisations can help employees manage their personal responsibilities without compromising their professional commitments.

This proactive support not only prevents last-minute disruptions but also creates a more resilient, engaged, and loyal workforce.

Strategies for HR and Leaders – What to do

As an HR professional or organisational leader, addressing employee absenteeism begins with uncovering its underlying causes. A key factor to consider is the impact of caregiver breakdowns – situations where employees are unable to attend work due to unexpected care responsibilities. By analysing how many absences are linked to these challenges, you can start to assess the broader cost implications, including increased absenteeism, rework, and the need for temporary cover.

With this insight, you can begin to use your absence data to identify how many lost days are care-related, quantify their financial impact, and assess the broader cost implications. This can help build a better case for targeted interventions such as better flexibility and manager training, as well as care support programmes such as Back-Up Care. In fact, the UK Work+Family Snapshot 2025 revealed that 9 in 10 Back-Up Care users say it helps them concentrate during working hours, and over 90% report reduced stress levels thanks to the support.

Care breakdowns are not solely an HR issue; they directly impact the wider team as well.

Care breakdowns go beyond HR

While HR teams often lead the charge in developing solutions, it’s important to recognise that care breakdowns are not solely an HR issue; they directly impact the wider team as well.

When employees face unexpected care responsibilities, team dynamics are affected. Colleagues and managers are left to absorb additional workloads, often without the time or resources to do so effectively. Stretched teams mean that productivity and morale suffer. So, building a workplace culture that anticipates these challenges can make the difference between short-term disruption and long-term sustainability.

About Bright Horizons

Bright Horizons has been supporting employers and working families for more than 35 years, delivering evidence-based solutions that strengthen business performance and employee wellbeing. Find out more at Bright Horizons Work + Family Solutions here.