For years, conversations have centered on why employers should support caregivers. The moral case. The equity case. The burnout case.
All valid.
But a 2023 research study published in Harvard Business Review* by Lisa Kaplowitz and Kate Mangino makes a critical shift in how we talk about caregiving at work and asks a more strategic question:
The authors identify three core categories of skills caregivers consistently build and bring into the workplace:
At Josie, we see this every day.
Caregivers become experts at navigating ambiguity. They make decisions with imperfect information. They anticipate needs before they’re articulated. They manage competing priorities across stakeholders with wildly different demands. They regulate emotion in high-stakes moments. They recover quickly when things don’t go as planned.
Those aren’t “soft skills.”
They are advanced leadership competencies.
And in an era increasingly shaped by AI and automation, they’re also the hardest skills to replicate.
The irony is that many organizations still treat caregiving as a career detour – something that threatens productivity or signals diminished ambition. But the research makes clear that caregiving experience often enhances the very capabilities companies claim to value most: adaptability, strategic thinking, communication, and resilience.
There is also a gender layer here that we cannot ignore.
Because caregiving has historically been coded as feminine labor, the skills developed through it have been undervalued in corporate environments. Meanwhile, organizations are investing millions in leadership development programs designed to teach…yup, you guessed it: empathy, delegation, and effective communication.
Caregiving is already doing that training: in real time.
This doesn’t mean employers can simply “count” on caregivers to carry the emotional and operational load at work. In fact, the article rightly highlights how much invisible labor caregivers perform, both at home and in organizations. Recognition without structural support is not enough.
If companies want to benefit from caregiver talent, they must:
• Normalize flexibility across genders
• Redesign promotion criteria to value glue work and emotional labor
• Provide structured support during parental leave and return-to-work transitions
• Create cultures where caregiving experience is seen as additive, not risky
The alternative? Risk losing the natural leadership skills your organization needs. At Josie, we believe caregiving is not a liability to manage. It is leadership development happening in plain sight.
The organizations that recognize this – and design for it – will retain stronger leaders, build more resilient teams, and outperform in the long run.
The question isn’t whether caregiving impacts work…It’s whether companies are wise enough to see how.
Thank you Lisa and Kate for this incredible research!
*Souce: Kaplowitz, Lisa, and Kate Mangino. “Research: Caregiver Employees Bring Unique Value to Companies.” Harvard Business Review, August 10, 2023.
