Balancing Care Responsibilities with Remote Work

The upsurge in remote and hybrid work practices has prompted researchers to explore the technological, organizational, and psychological dimensions of remote work. However, the nuanced dynamics of balancing familial duties, especially care work for older adults, and professional work is often overlooked in the literature. This balancing act introduces unique stressors, blurring work and personal life boundaries, potentially causing physical stress or prompting care providers to leave their jobs. The inherent nature of remote work executed within the familial sphere underscores the importance of understanding how care responsibilities impact the remote work experience. This study addresses this gap by focusing on informal care providers, an understudied population in the CSCW remote work literature. Through a diary study and interviews, we investigate challenges remote workers face and the role of technology in their work. Findings highlight the prevalence of care work, emphasizing the need for targeted technological interventions to support the well-being and productivity of remote workers managing care duties. Critical challenges include familial responsibilities on higher-stress days, lack of communication regarding availability, personal time sacrifices for productivity, coordination in place making among care providers, and multitasking on days with familial responsibilities or distractions. This exploratory study underscores the importance of assisting care providers in a way that embraces their (possible) role as remote workers, offering insights for future research and technological interventions to support remote workers navigating the complexities of care work.