Jacqui Purcell.
I love International Women’s Day. I revel in the opportunity to celebrate the amazing women we work with daily. The way we post and tag our inspiring female friends across social media, and the way women-focused charities and fundraisers are brought to the forefront (more of that, please). But mostly, I love the timely reminder for businesses to skip the annual cupcakes and yoga classes and instead truly reflect on the initiatives they can put in place to close the gap when it comes to workforce participation, career progression, and, of course, pay equity.
As we mark another International Women’s Day, I have been thinking about another shift that is impacting more and more women in the workforce. The need for greater support and resources for the ‘sandwich generation’ – those finding themselves caring for their children and parents at the same time.
Recently, I sat in on the first meeting of Publicis Groupe ANZ’s new employee action group for Parents & Carers. These groups bring together people from diverse communities to provide support, education and advocacy opportunities. It was eye-opening listening to the members, many of whom were women, performing the relentless balancing act of work and family demands. As the discussion continued, another clear theme emerged – many were caring for elderly parents while still caring for their own children.
We talk about Australia’s aging population a lot in the media and marketing industry, so I’m not sure why it came as such a surprise, but I was a little taken back. So, what you’re saying is, it might get easier as a parent when your kids get older, but there will be the completely new challenge of potentially caring for your parents or a family member? And maybe even both at the same time?
These are the stark realities of caring for an elderly parent while working, which businesses will increasingly need to consider:
- The juggle is real: Balancing work and caring for elderly parents can really take a toll, leaving many carers feeling emotionally drained. Add to that the financial strain, especially if their parents have ongoing health issues.
- Unexpected time off and disruptions: Just like parents of young children, those caring for elderly parents often find themselves having to take time off work unexpectedly. At Publicis, alongside carer’s leave, we have access to ‘cub care’ leave, providing us with dedicated time off to care for our sick cubs (kids). But often these days are unplanned, making it harder to schedule work around.
- Mental and emotional load: Caring for elderly parents doesn’t just involve physical tasks – it also includes managing their healthcare needs and dealing with the complexities of medical systems. Many women are becoming all too familiar with ‘the joy’ of being on left on hold for long periods of time...
If your organisation doesn’t already have initiatives in place to support employees who are balancing work and caregiving, International Women’s Day is the perfect time to stop and reflect on what more can be done.
Now is the time to create policies and resources that that make a real difference – whether that’s offering flexible working hours, paid family leave, or building a culture that values caregiving responsibilities.
Let’s make this International Women’s Day not only a celebration, but a commitment to meaningful change.
Jacqui Purcell, National Head of Planning at Starcom Australia