Impact of a Caregiver-Friendly Workplace Policies Intervention: A Prospective Economic Evaluation

J Occup Environ Med. 2019 Jun;61(6):461-468. doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000001564.

Abstract

Objective: We estimate the potential cost-benefit of a caregiver-friendly workplace policies (CFWPs) educational intervention to facilitate uptake of supports for carer-employees (CEs) at a post-secondary institution.

Methods: We identified CEs through a voluntary survey and estimated the economic burden of caregiving activities from the CEs' and employer's perspective. The latter is used as the baseline of comparison for evaluating the cost-benefit of the intervention.

Results: The economic cost of caregiving-related activities for the "no intervention" scenario was estimated at $33,841,789 ($32,922 per-case) and $8,916,342 ($8,674 per-case) from the CEs' and employer's perspectives, respectively. We find the educational intervention is a cost-beneficial program with the net benefit ranging from $48,010 to $676,657, based on six scenarios of effectiveness.

Conclusion: This study provides practical information for human resources and operations management decision-making in terms of a CFWPs educational intervention.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Absenteeism
  • Adult
  • Canada
  • Caregivers / economics*
  • Cost of Illness
  • Costs and Cost Analysis
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Organizational Policy*
  • Presenteeism / economics
  • Prospective Studies
  • Social Support
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Workplace*

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