The Grandparent Gap: When Your Employees Need Backup for Their Back-Up

For many working parents, a quick call to the grandparents is the trusted fallback when school’s out and work calls. But what happens when that lifeline isn’t available? When Grandma and Grandpa are off on a well-earned break, or when your employees’ “back-up plan” needs back-up themselves? 

Today’s grandparents are not the same as a generation ago. Many are still working, travelling more, living farther away or facing their own care needs. They’re no longer the always-available support system we once assumed. In fact, many working families now find themselves caring in both directions - raising children while also supporting ageing relatives. It’s what researchers call the “sandwich generation,” and it’s growing fast.

Bright Horizons’ Modern Families Index 2025 Report revealed a similar trend: 

• Out of the 3000 employees surveyed, 19% had both childcare and eldercare responsibilities that they juggled with work. 

• A staggering 79% (nearly 8 in 10) of adult carers needed to provide care or support in a way that required time off work in the last year. 

• Now, 38% of those with adult or eldercare responsibilities in the 2025 Index plan to look for new employment in the next year and nearly 8 in 10 (79%) consider their adult care needs before accepting a job or promotion. 

This isn’t just a personal struggle. It’s a workplace issue with real impact on productivity, presenteeism, and retention. When a care gap opens, whether it’s for a child or an adult loved one, it’s your employee who has to pause, pivot, and pick up the pieces. 

Reframing the Safety Net 

Workplace benefits have traditionally focused on one side of the care equation: childcare. And while that’s a critical piece, it’s not the whole picture. Sometimes, even the most dependable care solutions, like grandparents, need care themselves. 

That’s where Bright Horizons Back-Up Care steps in. We’re not just here for when the nanny calls in sick or the childminder cancels last-minute. We’re here when Grandma was the plan, but can’t be. Whether she’s off on a cruise, juggling her own commitments, or suddenly needs extra help due to illness, we cover the gap behind the gap. 

It’s care for every generation, designed to support the whole ecosystem of working families. Back-Up Care flexes to meet each unique situation: a trusted nursery for the day, an in-home nanny, or even eldercare support when ageing relatives require attention.

By widening the lens on care and recognising the changing dynamics of family life, employers can create a more inclusive culture that acknowledges the full spectrum of family responsibilities. And that means better engagement, reduced absenteeism, and a workforce that feels genuinely seen and supported. 

Here is where Back-Up Care has made a real difference to employees’ lives, when grandparents couldn’t step in: 

“My childcare plans for a week in the school holidays were disrupted at the last minute by a grandparent being ill. I called back-up care at 9pm on a Sunday night and they sent a lovely nanny to my house for 8.45 on Monday morning to look after my three children. The same nanny came on each of my working days that week and allowed me to get on with my job. The children thought she was lovely and have asked to have her again. Great result all round.” 

“Back-up childcare takes the stress out of having a sick child, without always expecting grandparents to drop everything (or missing work).” 

Discover how Bright Horizons Back-Up Care fills the grandparent gap by visiting: https://solutions.brighthorizons.co.uk.