Care Economy in the U.S. (Primer)
This case describes how caregiving responsibilities influence American employees, firms, and the broader economy. It details how sociodemographic trends in the late 20th century transformed the way that Americans balance their personal and professional lives, analyzing changes such as the evolving role of women in the economy, the rise of non-traditional households, the increasing cost and complexity of healthcare, and the aging and ailing of the U.S. population.
The case then reflects on how such changes impact the productivity and profitability of the modern American company. It reviews survey data employees and employers to understand how caregiving impacts individual careers and firms’ profitability. The case concludes by asking readers to “rethink” how care might be provided by employers. It analyzes recent research on the return-on-investment of caregiving benefits, describes ways that firms are expanding their caregiving benefits coverage, and discusses the importance for managers to understand internal “care demographics” and promulgate a culture that supports caregiving.
Keywords: Human Resources; Talent and Talent Management; Demographics; Labor; Health Care and Treatment; Family and Family Relationships; Strategy; Management; United States;
Citation:
Fuller, Joseph B., William R. Kerr, Manjari Raman, and Carl Kreitzberg. "Care Economy in the U.S. (Primer)." Harvard Business School Technical Note 820-027, September 2019. View Details