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Why Women Go Missing From The Workforce -- And What To Do About It

Forbes Business Development Council
Sue Bhatia
Founder and Chairwoman of Rose International, the 24th largest IT staffing company in the U.S.

Taking care of a loved one who is sick or has a disability can easily be a full-time job that requires us to prioritize their care over our careers. Because I was the caregiver to my father in his final years of life, I know firsthand how stressful, intense and demanding caregiving can be, both physically and mentally. Now, my mother is in her 90s, and my sister is graciously performing the duty of caregiving. If she had not taken it on, I would not have the same amount of time or energy to devote to my company.

The role of caregiver has long been a woman’s domain, though men can also be caregivers to their aging parents and spouses or their children. The effects of this role weighs on the workforce; according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (via The New York Times), about 15% of women and 13% of men between the ages of 25 and 54 years old spent time caring for older relatives (paywall) in 2017 and 2018. This amount rises significantly for those who are between the ages of 55 and 64. According to 2015 Pew data, 40.4 million provide unpaid care to adults ages 65 and older in the United States.

If women must take on the role of caregiver to their aging or sick family members, they often aren’t able to commit the same amount of time or energy to their careers. This affects the workplace tremendously, as many women are forced to take time off or reduce their hours so that they can devote time to caregiving. Even when people have the funds to afford eldercare through in-home healthcare or nursing home facilities, they still have responsibilities they are required to attend to. When women step out of the workforce, they can fall behind in their careers and their financial security. According to 2014 research from the Department of Labor, "If the U.S. had the same rate [of female labor force participation] Canada or Germany, there would be around 5.5 million more women age 25-54 in the labor force in the U.S."

While societal networks related to caregiving should be addressed, one way that companies can assist women and men who have been partially or fully on leave is to embrace contingent work as a means to retain workers. As the founder and chairwoman of a company that offers contingent staffing, I've seen that it can also function as a means of reentry for those who have taken long leaves of absence. Contingent work can provide meaningful and satisfying work on many levels and allow those who have taken on the burden of caregiving to remain financially sound and continue to have work they are qualified for.

Here are several suggestions for how companies can cater to contingent workers in order to attract top talent:

• Offer contingent workers the same opportunities to build careers for themselves, even though it may not be possible to do so in their own organization. For example, offer them opportunities to build up additional skills that can help the contingent worker start at a higher level in their next assignment.

• Offer opportunities for learning and skill-building with formal programs. Upskilling is one of the top reasons I've seen contingent employees accept assignments.

• Recognize contingent workers and show appreciation when they have gone above and beyond in their work.

• Offer flexible hours, which allows individuals who are caregivers the ability to fulfill their caregiving duties while also fulfilling their job assignments and maintaining careers.

As automation and the future of work collide with the need for increased caregiving to elders and spouses, contingent work could help the American workforce to retain 5.5 million women. Contingent work should inherently be set up with breaks that allow for flexibility and different levels of availability. Many of these individuals want to be able to work full time in jobs that provide them with a sense of purpose and financial stability. Contingent work should have flexibility built within it so that caregivers have the freedom to choose when they plan to work and when they need to take time off to devote to their loved ones.

Workers can also prepare to reenter the workforce while caregiving by relearning their industry or reskilling for a different one. With numerous courses online, self-learning can allow workers to remain up to date on work trends and the skills they'll require to reenter the workforce. Taking the initiative to stay informed and to upskill or reskill can show potential employers that a worker is self-motivated and competent.

Taking care of someone when they need it the most shows deep empathy, kindness, intense focus, resilience and good character. These are highly valuable traits that caregivers can bring to the workplace. Employers should make certain that people who step into the caregiving role are not overlooked for their humanity. By allowing caregivers the flexibility to remain in the workforce or reenter it without falling behind, employers can help women provide care to their loved ones without sacrificing their career paths.


Founder and Chairwoman of Rose International, the 24th largest IT staffing company in the U.S. Read Sue Bhatia's full executive profile here.…
