Working Caregivers-The Invisible Employees Newsletter

Brought to you by ieAdvocates (invisible employee advocates)

Thank you for being here!

Often discussed in terms of compliance, policies, and processes, at its best, HR is really about people. The kind of people-centered leadership that recognizes employees as whole humans, not just roles or job titles. Millions of employees are juggling their jobs and caring for a loved one, along with their work and personal responsibilities. When HR leads with empathy, flexibility, and intention, it can make the difference between burnout and belonging, turnover and trust. Strong HR isn’t just reactive in times of crisis; it anticipates real life and proactively designs workplaces where employees can stay, grow, and contribute through the difficult times.

In this issue, we explore the true value of HR through a human lens, specifically around supporting one of the most overlooked segments of the workforce: working caregivers. This human-centered philosophy is at the heart of our conversation with our podcast guest, Claude Silver. She is a leader known for redefining HR as the emotional and cultural heartbeat of an organization. In this issue, we discuss what HR truly brings to the table for employees, for working caregivers, and for organizations that understand that supporting people is simply good business.

Table of Contents

• Working Caregivers-The Invisible Employees Newslet …

  • In the news:

• The caregiving crisis is at your doorstep: What HR …

• As the US population ages, more employees are seek …

  • Did you know? (Read our blog):

  • People and Companies In the spotlight:

  • Stories From Real Working Caregivers:

    • HR Happy Hour Podcast hosted by Steve Boese and Tr …

  • With gratitude, we share a book review:

    • Order Our Book Here

In the news:

The caregiving crisis is at your doorstep: What HR leaders must do now

By:Jeff Jacques, M.D., and Madhavi Vemireddy, M.D., HR Executive Jan. 6, 2026

The caregiving crisis is affecting millions of employees, creating stress, burnout, and productivity losses that cost employers billions each year. Many organizations underestimate the impact because they treat caregiving as a secondary benefit rather than a strategic workforce issue. HR leaders should assess employee caregiving needs, offer flexible support and resources, and build a culture of empathy. Proactively addressing caregiving improves employee wellbeing, retention, and overall organizational performance.

^{Read the article here.}

As the US population ages, more employees are seeking caregiver benefits at work

By CATHY BUSSEWITZ, Yahoo!Finance, February 19, 2026

As the U.S. population grows older, an increasing number of workers are balancing jobs with caregiving responsibilities for aging family members, driving greater demand for caregiver‑friendly workplace benefits. Many employees report that caregiving pulls them away from work duties, and some even have to leave jobs entirely to provide care—highlighting the need for employers to offer better support such as flexible schedules, leave options, and caregiver resources.

Key points:

• Aging demographics mean more workers are also acting as family caregivers, affecting productivity and retention.

• Employees increasingly seek employer benefits that help them balance work and caregiving duties.

Read the article here.

Did you know? (Read our blog):

The Value of HR: A Human-Centered Approach for Working Caregivers

When HR works well, you can feel it. Employees feel seen. Managers feel supported. And organizations feel steadier, even in moments of disruption. That human-centered philosophy sits at the heart of modern HR leadership. It aligns closely with the approach championed by our podcast guest, Claude Silver, whose work reminds us that people are not resources to be managed, but humans to be supported.

Nowhere is this more evident than in how organizations support working caregivers—employees who care for aging parents, partners, children with disabilities, or loved ones with chronic illness while trying to stay productive at work.

HR’s Real Value: Translating Humanity Into Business Practice

At its best, HR serves as the bridge between organizational goals and human reality. While business leaders focus on growth, performance, and results, HR translates those priorities into policies, benefits, and cultures that allow people to succeed.

For working caregivers, this translation is critical. Caregiving rarely fits neatly into a 9-to-5 schedule. Medical emergencies, school calls, and care coordination don’t respect calendar invites. HR’s value lies in recognizing this reality and designing systems that move with it.

Read blog here

People and Companies In the spotlight:

Episode 35: Supporting Working Caregivers with Real Empathy with Claude Silver

In this powerful and heart-expanding conversation, we sit down with Claude Silver, Chief Heart Officer at VaynerMedia and author of Be Yourself at Work, to talk about empathy, emotional bravery, and what it really means to lead with heart. We explore how music, mindset, and self-awareness shape leadership—and why the “song in your head” matters more than you think.

Most importantly, we dig into what this all means for working caregivers. How do you show up at work when life at home is heavy? How do you lead with compassion without lowering standards? And how can organizations create cultures where caregivers feel seen instead of invisible? Claude doesn’t offer clichés—she offers practical, human-centered leadership that can transform workplaces. Press play. This one will stay with you.

Claude Silver is on a mission to revolutionize leadership, talent, and workplace culture. She is the world's first Chief Heart Officer at VaynerX and partners with CEO Gary Vaynerchuk to drive their success. Silver has earned Campaign US's Female Frontier Award and AdWeek's Changing the Game Award and she electrifies audiences at national and international conferences and at organizations, including Meta, Google, US Government agencies, and the US Armed Forces. She has been interviewed on dozens of podcasts and featured in The New York Times, Fast Company, Forbes, and The Wall Street Journal. He is the author of Be Yourself at Work: The Groundbreaking Power of Showing Up, Standing Out, and Leading from the Heart. Connect with her on LinkedIn here.

Stories From Real Working Caregivers:

Meet Carla Velastegui, a real working caregiver:

Carla Velastegui brings experience across health technology, startups, government, and health systems, with a deep understanding of Canada’s and Ontario’s healthcare landscape, as well as the U.S. healthcare and reimbursement environment. She currently serves as a board member and advisor to organizations including Canada’s Drug Agency, Acclaim Health, The Parkinson’s Foundation (U.S.), and the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence. Her advocacy and systems work has been featured by NPR, The Globe and Mail, CBC, HaltonTV and 20+ radio stations across the United States and Canada. Learn more about her here: https://linktr.ee/carlavelastegui Connect with Carla on LinkedIn.

Read or watch the entire interview here

Recommended media content:

PODCASTS

HR Happy Hour Podcast hosted by Steve Boese and Trish Steed episode: Caregiving, Work, and the Employees Caught in the Middle. In this episode Steve discusses the growing trend of caregiving in the workplace, highlighting its impact on employee wellbeing and the need for employers to recognize and support caregivers. With over 63 million adults in the U.S. providing care, the conversation emphasizes the importance of integrating caregiver support into workplace policies and benefits to enhance productivity and retention.

BOOKS

Be Yourself At Work by Claude Silver offers a new language for the beautiful mess of being human at work: showing up as your true self. No matter our role, seniority, or generation, we all want the same things: to feel valued, trusted, respected, and like we belong. When we stop performing and start being, we unlock our capacity to connect, thrive, and do our best work. Be Yourself at Work provides actionable insights, relatable stories, and a practical roadmap to navigate a workplace where the old models are failing. In an era where technology evolves faster than we can imagine, humanity is our greatest asset. Authentic presence is the currency of the future—a game-changer for individuals and organizations alike.

VIDEOS:

Disruptive HR podcast: The forgotten issue: Supporting family caregivers in the workplace Dec. 2024. In this episode we explore the crucial and often overlooked issue of supporting family caregivers in the workplace. Stephanie Leung, CEO and founder of Karehero, who shares her personal journey from a high-flying career at Goldman Sachs to becoming an advocate for caregivers. Stephanie opens up about her experiences as a family caregiver from a young age and the challenges she faced balancing work and caregiving duties. The importance of understanding individual needs within the workforce is paramount to retaining talent and preventing burnout. We explore how employers can create supportive environments for caregivers, ensuring that employees don't have to choose between their careers and their loved ones.

With gratitude, we share a book review:

We want to thank Sue Ryan  who took the time to read our book and provide a thoughtful ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐review!

Thank you Zack and Selma for writing this powerful, insightful, clarifying book that raises the challenges of the working caregiver and the employer as we navigate this perfectly imperfect journey of being an unpaid family caregiver while also being an employee.

I wish I had this book many years ago; I’ve navigated dual roles of being a family caregiver and business professional for forty years. The layout of the book is powerful. We can see ourselves in the stories, relate to the challenges of the HR leader as they address this crisis and the need to evaluate their benefit programs, policies, and employee support.

Zack and Selma help them through Putting it All together sharing impactful statistics and facts, and challenge us all with Questions.

This is definitely a must read for everyone involved in the family caregiving crisis - a crisis that continues to expand exponentially. Sue Ryan.

Order your copy of Working Caregivers-The Invisible Employees book here. If you want to order a quantity of books for your leadership team and employees, contact us directly about discount pricing.

If someone forwarded you this newsletter, then you can subscribe below: