Sessions

Following her major article in the Atlantic on why women can’t have it all, Anne-Marie Slaughter has continued her research and has concluded that the issue of caregiving will impact organizations now and for the foreseeable future, and companies who embrace a culture that supports these individuals through offering workplace flexibility will benefit the most.

A MetLife Study found that the percentage of adult children providing personal care and/or financial assistance to a parent has more than tripled over the past 15 years- and demographics suggest that this number will grow sharply in coming years, given an aging population, decreasing mortality rates and low fertility trends. And in many cases, this issue tends to impact more women than men, and as a result hinders their advancement into upper management. Unless we right this fundamental balance — in families, the workplace, and society as a whole — women will continue to lag behind men at work; children, parents, siblings and spouses will not get the full measure of care they need; and American society will continue to fray at the seams. 

The When Work Works Sessions at the SHRM Annual conference explore ways to #ReinventWork and create effective workplaces. Visit WhenWorkWorks.org, a partnership between Families and Work Institute and SHRM, for more information.