Ceridian Study Reveals the Challenges of Caregiving & Its Significant Impact on Productivity & Engagement in the Workplace

TORONTO, ON--(Marketwired - September 03, 2015) - Ceridian announces the results of its 2015 Caregiver Research study: Double Duty: The Caregiving Crisis In The Workplace. With 2.9 million Canadians serving as working caregivers, the inaugural Ceridian report investigates the role of working caregivers and the personal and professional implications of these responsibilities. Using insight from a survey of more than 1,600 full-time and part-time workers across North America, the demands and effects of caregiving are examined as well as the pressing need for employers to recognize, support and better accommodate these individuals.

For working caregivers in the Canada, consider these facts:

• Nearly one out of six are caring for another individual.

• While the majority of people say caregiving is a rewarding part of their life, there is evidence that this responsibility is taking its toll. Study respondents report that the most negative drawbacks of caregiving are the fatigue (69%), stress (69%) and sadness (59%).

• The hours that caregiving demands can also have a negative effect on life outside of caregiving. Study respondents report that they have difficulty getting their work done on time (44%), have had difficulty focusing at work (41%) or have had to miss work entirely (35%). Forty percent have experienced financial hardship or loss of income and alarmingly 21% report increased use of alcohol or drugs as they struggle to meet caregiving demands.

• Caregiving takes up a significant amount of time. Canadian respondents report an average of 23.4 hours spent on caregiving activities in a typical week.

Canadian employers feel the impact of caregiving responsibilities.

• Study respondents report that Canadian carers had to take, on average, 10.4 days off over the last 12 months to manage their caregiving responsibilities.

• It is estimated that caregiving costs the Canadian economy 5.5 billion in lost productivity.

Canadian employers could be doing more to support employees with caregiving responsibilities.

• Only 42% of study respondents report that they have the support of their direct manager in their caregiving role.

• Only 18% of study respondents claim that their employer offers all four of the following support programs: paid time off, unpaid time off, the option to work from home and a flexible work schedule.

"Working caregivers represent a unique group of individuals with tremendous and often unpredictable pressures and stressors from a variety of sources," says Estelle Morrison, vice president of clinical and wellness services, Ceridian LifeWorks. "In fact, caregivers who work need to meet multiple and competing demands on their time, their attention and emotional reserves. They are often left with little time and energy for self-care and much needed restoration, which in turn can have a dramatic effect on work productivity and performance. As a result, supportive services such as employee assistance programs that provide counseling, wellness assessments and programs as well as information and resources become one of the critical supports designed to address their and their loved ones needs with ease."

For more information on Double Duty: The Caregiving Crisis In The Workplace visit ceridian.ca.

About The Study:
The 2015 Caregiver Research study was conducted by Harris/Decima's online research solution in the Spring of 2015.

About Ceridian
Ceridian is a global human capital management technology company serving over 25 million users in more than 50 countries. Our offering includes the award winning, cloud-based Dayforce HCM, Global Solutions, Small Business Payroll, and LifeWorks Employee Assistance and Wellness programs. Ceridian. Makes Work Life Better™ For more information about Ceridian solutions call 1.877.237.4342 or visit www.ceridian.ca.

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