Solving the Caregiving Gap
November 12, 2025 1:00 PM ET
America’s workforce is aging, and caregiving responsibilities are surging. HR professionals face a complex challenge: supporting employees who are caring for children with special needs, spouses with chronic illness, or aging parents with dementia. The demands are intense, and traditional approaches fall short — leaving both employees and organizations at risk.
Join this SHRM-hosted webinar to gain clarity on the realities of workplace caregiving and discover actionable strategies to address this urgent need. We’ll move beyond compliance to focus on practical, human-centered solutions that drive retention, engagement, and organizational resilience.
What You’ll Learn:
- Understanding Diverse Caregiving Needs: Explore the unique challenges of caring for a parent, child, or spouse — and why one-size-fits-all approaches are ineffective.
- The Hidden Impact on Employees: Uncover the emotional and financial toll caregiving takes, with insights from affected workers and emerging workplace trends.
- Innovative Employer Solutions: Discover what progressive organizations are doing to support long-term caregivers, from flexible work arrangements to resource networks and culture shifts.
Key Takeaways:
- A clear understanding of the caregiving gap and its impact on your workforce.
- Best practices for supporting employees with ongoing caregiving responsibilities.
- Actionable ideas to create a culture of empathy, flexibility, and resilience.
SHRM Knowledge Advisors will join the live webinar to answer your questions in real time—right in the chat. If we don’t get to your question during the session? No problem, SHRM members can head to SHRM Connect after this webinar to keep the conversation going with advisors for 30 extra minutes. This benefit is only for members who join the live webinar and not included later on demand.
Meet the Presenters
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Emily M. Dickens
Emily M. Dickens is Chief of Staff, Head of Government Affairs & Corporate Secretary, SHRM.
She is an accomplished attorney, strategist, and senior executive at the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)—the world’s largest HR trade association and the fourth largest trade association globally. As a member of SHRM’s executive leadership team, she drives organizational effectiveness and impact across governance, public affairs, global policy, legal, real estate, and philanthropy, while serving as a trusted advisor to the CEO and Board of Directors.
In her role, Dickens oversees SHRM’s advocacy and policy agenda, guiding the work of the “A-Team,” a 300,000-member grassroots network of HR professionals who shape workplace policy nationwide. She has executive oversight for four divisions: corporate governance, government affairs and policy, legal and administrative affairs, and the SHRM Foundation.
Dickens amplifies SHRM’s voice on key global, national, and local platforms by holding influential roles as Co-Chair of the B20 Brazil Women in Business Action Council, Governance Committee Member for the United States Council for International Business (USCIB), and Board Member of The Bryce Harlow Foundation, Skill-Up, and the National Foundation for Women Legislators.
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Wendi Safstrom
Wendi Safstrom is a senior non-profit leader committed to serving the public through philanthropic program management, cultivating strategic partnerships, and managing and developing high performing teams. She has both association and nonprofit management experience including national program development and administration, membership strategy, marketing and product development, grant management, development and donor stewardship, and leading cross functional teams. Safstrom currently serves as President for the Society for Human Resource Management Foundation (SHRM Foundation), where she is ultimately responsible for the development and implementation of SHRM Foundation's programmatic, development, and marketing and communication strategies in support of SHRM Foundation's new mission and vision, creating growth plans and ensuring alignment with SHRM goals.
Prior to assuming the role at SHRM Foundation, Safstrom served as Vice President at the National Restaurant Association and National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, and was responsible for all Foundation programming, including workforce development initiatives, scholarship and event management, community relations and engagement initiatives. The NRAEF's philanthropic programming supported a number of audiences including high school youth, veterans transitioning from service to civilian work and life, opportunity youth, and incumbent workers.
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Anne Sparaco
Anne Sparaco is a dedicated media professional and the new dynamic host of SHRM's "All Things Work" podcast, where she leads insightful discussions on the ever-changing landscape of work. Through her podcast, Anne engages with industry leaders, HR professionals, and thought leaders to explore topics that impact the modern workplace, from diversity and inclusion to the future of work.
Before joining SHRM, Anne built a distinguished career as a News Anchor and Senior Multimedia Journalist in New York and Virginia. Her journalism career is marked by her ability to tell powerful stories that resonate with audiences on a national scale and champion marginalized voices through multimedia production.
Her award-winning journalism has earned her accolades from the Associated Press and the Syracuse Press Club. Among her notable achievements, Anne's reporting on a historic WWII All-Women’s Army Corps Unit has helped bring deserved recognition to these trailblazing women, leading to their forthcoming U.S. Congressional Gold Medal. Additionally, her compelling coverage on the use of psychedelics to combat veteran suicides has brought much-needed attention to mental health issues affecting veterans.
SHRM certification has approved this webinar for 1 PDC toward SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP recertification. A program code will be provided at the end of the webinar.