The desire for work-life balance is important among all generations but it’s becoming increasingly critical for those who make up the Sandwich Generation. The Sandwich Generation includes individuals who care for both growing dependents and aging parents. Four in 10 say both their parents and their grown children rely on them for emotional support.
Navigating how to juggle the responsibilities of multigenerational caregiving, professional obligations and supporting one’s own personal wellbeing is not for the faint of heart. Caregiving is an incredibly demanding role, one with little guidance and limited resources to manage the many complications.
Caught In Between
But this is a role that is becoming more common as generations live longer and younger generations struggle to achieve financial independence. A 2024 Pew Research study found that the burden of caring for multiple generations is rising among middle-aged Americans. 47% of adults in their 40s and 50s have a parent age 65 or older and are financially supporting a child age 18 or older. 10% of these individuals are aged 60 or older.
Pressed for Time and Money
Not surprisingly, those who find themselves in the Sandwich Generation are often in a time deficit, rushing to take care of all the things they need to do. Supporting multiple generations is also expensive, leaving little for the extras that might ease the burden of such a stressful situation.
Such a situation is further complicated by public opinion on the topic. Many find it more socially acceptable to spend one’s time and money caring for aging parents as opposed to caring financially for grown children. 75% said adults have a responsibility to provide financial help to an elderly parent in need, but only 52% said parents have that responsibility with a grown child.
Role of the Employer
While the duties of an employee within the Sandwich Generation are not technically the concern of an employer, there’s no doubt that an individual under this much stress could experience a ripple effect on their job performance. Plus, burnout is already highly common among a rising number of employees as work responsibilities continue to rise.
Addressing Physical and Mental Health
Employers who are increasing their focus on employee health and mental awareness could benefit by bringing greater awareness of the needs of the Sandwich Generation when it comes to mental and physical health awareness initiatives.
Pew Research estimates that while Baby Boomers have aged out of the Sandwich Generation and out of the workplace, Gen X now makes up the majority of the Sandwich Generation with 42% of Gen Xershaving a parent age 65 and older in addition to a dependent child. This is compared with 33% of Baby Boomers.
This is an issue that will eventually affect all generations in the workplace, and it is important for employers to be on the lookout for ways to better aid employees in addressing balance to reduce burnout and reduce the loss of good employees.
