Ageing workforce calls for stronger support systems

By KRIS GOPALAKRISHNAN AND JAMUNA RAVI

India is entering a defining demographic transition. For decades, its economic narrative has rested on the promise of a young, dynamic workforce. That reality, however, is changing – gradually yet unmistakably. According to the UN World Population Prospects, by 2036, nearly one in five Indians will be over the age of 60. The impact of this shift is no longer confined to future projections; it is already reshaping the composition, priorities, and pressures within the country’s workforce.

Many Indian organisations now employ four generations concurrently – Gen Z, millennials, Gen X, and baby boomers. Improved longevity, economic aspirations, and the desire for relevance have kept older professionals in the workforce longer. Simultaneously, mid-career employees, particularly those in their forties and fifties, increasingly represent the “sandwich generation,” balancing professional responsibilities with the dual demands of caring for ageing parents and supporting young adult children.

This dual pressure has significant implications for workforce well-being and productivity. Surveys have shown that nearly one-third of Indian employees report caregiving as a factor that affects their work performance. Yet, corporate policy frameworks largely remain oriented toward early-career needs – maternity benefits, childcare support, and flexible work for young parents – while mid-life and eldercare support receive limited institutional recognition.

Caregiving for ageing family members has emerged as one of the least visible yet most consequential challenges in today’s workplace. Employees managing eldercare often confront unpredictable medical situations, financial stress due to healthcare costs, and emotional strain. Few organisations offer structured eldercare leave; health insurance seldom provides adequate coverage for dependent parents, especially in cases involving pre-existing conditions.

Employee assistance programmes, where available, are typically confined to counselling or stress management. They rarely extend to practical caregiving support such as navigating medical systems, arranging home care, or managing elder-specific financial concerns. This reflects a wider cultural assumption – that caregiving remains a private, family matter. In a context where state support systems are limited, this assumption is increasingly unsustainable.

The consequences of this policy gap are both human and economic. Research across Asia suggests that employees who shoulder caregiving responsibilities experience higher absenteeism, greater burnout, and up to 30% lower productivity. Many, especially women, are compelled to leave the workforce.

The attrition of experienced professionals in their peak productivity years represents a significant loss of institutional knowledge, leadership continuity, and mentorship capacity. At a macro level, it weakens India’s ability to capitalise on its demographic dividend. The emerging “longevity economy” thus demands as much attention as the digital economy that dominates corporate discourse today.

Encouragingly, a small but growing number of companies in India are beginning to acknowledge the realities of caregiving and workforce ageing. Some have introduced dedicated caregiver leave policies that allow employees to take time off to care for family members with chronic or long-term conditions. Others have expanded health insurance to include dependent parents or have created employee resource groups that provide emotional and peer support for caregivers.

Flexible work arrangements – remote work during medical crises, short-term schedule adjustments, or phased return-to-work programmes – are becoming more common. A few organisations are also exploring models for phased retirement or second careers, enabling older professionals to continue contributing through mentorship or consulting roles.

These initiatives, while still limited in number, represent a significant cultural shift. They signal recognition that caregiving and ageing are not private burdens but systemic realities that directly influence workforce sustainability.

Age-inclusive, care-sensitive workplaces

To address these challenges at scale, caregiving and longevity must be integrated into the broader diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) agenda. Indian organisations have made notable progress on gender, disability, and LGBTQ+ inclusion; it is time to extend this understanding to life-stage inclusion.

Recognising caregiving as a legitimate DEI issue allows employees to seek support without stigma. It also encourages the creation of structured policy responses – formal eldercare leave, expanded health benefits, partnerships with healthcare providers, and workplace awareness initiatives.

Equally vital is a shift in leadership mindset. Building a culture of empathy requires equipping managers to recognise caregiver stress, normalising dialogue about life-stage challenges, mental health challenges and promoting intergenerational collaboration. It also allows healthy conversations about volunteering opportunities, retirement planning, counselling needs, etc.

Technology can play a complementary role – through telemedicine, health monitoring, and care coordination platforms – but must remain inclusive and accessible to families across digital literacy levels. The objective is not to substitute human empathy with digital convenience, but to use technology as an enabler of care-sensitive ecosystems.

Longevity and caregiving are no longer peripheral to workforce policy; they are central to organisational resilience and sustainability. Addressing them is not merely a matter of social responsibility but a business imperative.

Organisations that anticipate and adapt to these demographic shifts will gain a decisive advantage – retaining experienced talent, improving engagement, and strengthening their reputation as humane and future-ready employers. The conversation about the “future of work” in India must, therefore, move beyond technology adoption to include longevity readiness and care inclusion.

As India transitions from a youthful economy to a longevity economy, its corporate sector will need to evolve from being youth-optimised to age-balanced. Those who respond early and empathetically will not only enhance productivity but also help shape a new paradigm of inclusive growth – one that truly values experience, empathy, and care as strategic assets for the future.

Kris is co-founder, Infosys, and co-founder, Vayah Vikas; Jamuna is CEO, Vayah Vikas, a non-profit set up for empowering senior citizens

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.