New research from the University of Phoenix reveals how caregiving pressures are driving burnout among the sandwich generation, leading to career stagnation and workforce exits, while also highlighting solutions to support employers.
The white paper from the University of Phoenix College of Doctoral Studies, titled “How Organizations Can Help Sandwich Moms Achieve Work-Life Balance,” highlights the mounting strain on “sandwich generation” mothers – employees balancing care for both children and aging parents – and the measurable impact on retention, productivity and long-term workforce stability.
The report links rising burnout among “sandwich generation” mothers to retention, productivity and workforce stability, highlighting why employers must redesign work as caregiving pressures intensify.
The scale of the issue is significant. Approximately 23% of US adults are part of the sandwich generation, according to prior research cited in the report. But newer data suggests the crisis is accelerating. In fact, a recent report shows that 64% of sandwich generation working women are now at high risk of burnout, while nearly half a million women exited the US workforce in the first half of 2025 amid rising caregiving demands.
Together, these figures point to a structural shift in the labour market – one that is forcing companies to rethink how work is designed.
RISING SANDWICH GENERATION BURNOUT
The white paper, authored by TaMika Fuller, DBA, and Victoria Lender, DBA, of the University of Phoenix’s Center for Educational and Instructional Technology Research (CEITR), builds on the 2025 Career Optimism Special Report™ Series: Moms in the Sandwich Generation to connect caregiving pressures directly to workplace outcomes.
It identifies sandwich moms as a “growing and often underserved workforce segment whose experiences directly affect organisational outcomes, including retention, engagement and institutional trust.” At the same time, other research highlights how severe the strain has become, with many working caregivers approaching what researchers describe as a caregiving “breaking point.”
This convergence of rising eldercare needs, childcare costs and workplace rigidity is intensifying caregiver burnout, transforming what was once seen as a personal challenge into a systemic workforce issue.
WOMEN EXITING THE WORKFORCE
The economic consequences are already visible across the labour market, with an increasing number of women existing the workplace. As caregiving pressures mount, workforce participation among women is shifting.
Data shows that nearly half a million women left the US workforce in 2025, highlighting how unsupported caregiving responsibilities are driving talent loss at scale. At the same time, with 7 in 10 caregivers employed while balancing care responsibilities, the majority of working caregivers are navigating competing demands without sufficient structural support.
For employers, this is no longer a theoretical risk. It is a direct threat to retention, institutional knowledge and business continuity.
WHAT EMPLOYERS ARE GETTING WRONG
The University of Phoenix report makes clear that the problem is not a lack of effort, but a mismatch between workplace systems and workforce realities. Key workplace impacts highlighted in the report include:
- Increased burnout and absenteeism tied to competing caregiving and work demands
- Career stagnation and reduced advancement opportunities due to inflexible workplace structures
- Financial strain associated with caregiving responsibilities
- Lower engagement and trust when employer support systems fall short
Traditional workplace models – built on fixed schedules, linear career paths and constant availability – are increasingly incompatible with the needs of a workforce managing dual caregiving roles.
SOLUTION: STRUCTURAL REDESIGN OF WORK
Rather than incremental change, the report calls for a structural redesign of work. Recommended strategies include:
- Expanding flexible work arrangements, including remote and hybrid options
- Enhancing paid leave and caregiver-specific benefits that account for both childcare and eldercare
- Training managers to lead with empathy and performance-based evaluation, rather than availability
- Redesigning career pathways to support nonlinear progression and long-term growth
“The challenges facing sandwich moms are not just personal – they are organisational,” said Fuller. “When employers design policies that reflect real-life caregiving demands, they move beyond just supporting employees – they strengthen retention, performance and long-term workforce stability.”
Lender says employers have an opportunity to rethink how work gets done: “The sandwich generation is a critical segment of the modern workforce, and by aligning workplace practices with their workforce realities, organisations can unlock greater engagement and create more sustainable career pathways for working caregivers.”
WHY THIS MATTERS NOW
The convergence of demographic change, rising care costs and evolving workplace expectations is accelerating pressure on working mothers, particularly those in the sandwich generation.
Without intervention, burnout, absenteeism and workforce exits are likely to increase. But organisations that adapt – by embedding flexibility, redesigning career pathways and supporting caregivers at scale – stand to gain a competitive advantage in retention, engagement and long-term resilience.
WHAT EMPLOYERS SHOULD DO NEXT
For organisations looking to respond, the path forward is clear:
- Audit workplace policies to identify barriers for caregivers
- Redefine performance metrics around outcomes, not hours or visibility
- Equip managers to lead with empathy and flexibility
- Build nonlinear career pathways that accommodate life stages
- Treat caregiving as a workforce reality, not an exception
Employers that fail to adapt risk losing talent at scale. Those that do may not only retain their workforce, but help define the future of sustainable work.
The full white paper is available through the University of Phoenix Research Hub.
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