Care Work Explained: Types, Value, and Why It Matters in 2026

Care work is the unpaid and paid labor of caring for others — including childcare, eldercare, healthcare, and domestic tasks — that sustains daily life and underpins all other work. In 2026, care work is a central economic and social issue, with millions of workers and family caregivers shaping how societies function. This guide explains what care work is, who does it, why it matters, and how it’s changing, using the latest data and expert insights.

What Is Care Work?

Care work refers to the tasks and responsibilities involved in looking after the physical, emotional, and developmental needs of others. It includes direct care — like feeding, bathing, and providing medical support — and indirect care, such as cooking, cleaning, and managing household schedules. Care work can be unpaid, performed by family members or volunteers, or paid, delivered by professionals like nurses, childcare workers, and home health aides. According to the International Labour Organization’s 2023 report “Care at work: Investing in care leave and services for a more gender-equal world of work,” care work is essential for human well-being and economic productivity.

The definition of care work has expanded in recent years to include self-care and community care, recognizing that maintaining one’s own health and supporting neighbors are also forms of care labor. This broad view helps policymakers understand the full scope of care needs in society.

Why Care Work Matters More Than Ever in 2026

Care work matters because it is the foundation of every economy and community. Without care, children cannot develop, patients cannot heal, and workers cannot show up to their jobs. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed how fragile care systems are, and since then, governments and employers have paid more attention to care infrastructure. In 2026, aging populations, rising healthcare costs, and changing family structures make care work a top policy priority.

According to the World Health Organization’s 2024 report on the global health workforce, the world needs an additional 10 million health workers by 2030 to meet basic care needs. This statistic underscores the scale of the care gap. Additionally, the McKinsey Global Institute’s 2023 study “The power of parity: Advancing women’s equality in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East” found that investing in care services could create up to 269 million jobs globally by 2030, many of them for women.

Who Performs Care Work?

Care work is performed by a diverse range of people, but women and girls do the majority of it, both paid and unpaid. The ILO’s 2023 report states that women perform 76.2% of unpaid care work globally, spending an average of 4 hours and 25 minutes per day, compared to 1 hour and 23 minutes for men. In paid care, women also dominate, making up 70% of the health and social care workforce, according to the World Health Organization’s 2024 report.

In addition to gender, race and migration status shape who does care work. In many high-income countries, care workers are disproportionately immigrants and people of color, often facing low wages and poor working conditions. For example, in the United States, the PHI National’s 2025 fact sheet reports that 60% of direct care workers are people of color, and 35% are immigrants.

The Economic Value of Care Work

Care work has immense economic value, yet much of it is unpaid and uncounted in GDP. The ILO’s 2023 report estimates that if unpaid care work were valued at minimum wage, it would represent 9% of global GDP, or $11 trillion. This figure highlights how much of our economy relies on invisible labor.

Paid care work is also a significant employment sector. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2025 employment projections, healthcare support occupations are projected to grow by 13% from 2024 to 2034, adding over 1.1 million jobs. This growth is driven by an aging population and increased demand for home care services.

Type of Care Work	Examples	Typical Setting	Paid or Unpaid	Representative Economic Value
Childcare	Feeding, supervising, educating children	Home, daycare centers	Both	In the U.S., childcare workers earn a median hourly wage of $14.60 (BLS, 2025)
Eldercare	Assisting older adults with daily tasks, medical care	Home, assisted living facilities	Both	Unpaid eldercare valued at $600 billion annually in the U.S. (AARP, 2021)
Healthcare	Nursing, therapy, medical support	Hospitals, clinics, homes	Paid	Global health workforce shortage of 10 million workers (WHO, 2024)
Domestic Work	Cleaning, cooking, laundry	Private homes	Both	Domestic workers globally earn less than 50% of average wages (ILO, 2021)

The Impact of Care Work on Workers and Families

Care work has profound effects on those who perform it, particularly unpaid caregivers. According to the AARP’s 2021 report “Caregiving in the U.S.”, 53 million Americans provided unpaid care to an adult in 2020, spending an average of 23 hours per week on caregiving. This burden often leads to financial strain, physical exhaustion, and emotional stress. The report found that 40% of caregivers report high emotional stress, and 25% report difficulty managing their own health.

Paid care workers also face challenges, including low wages, lack of benefits, and high injury rates. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has noted that healthcare and social assistance workers experience high rates of musculoskeletal injuries, often from lifting and transferring patients. In 2023, OSHA updated its guidelines for preventing workplace violence in healthcare, recognizing the risks care workers face.

How Is Care Work Changing in 2026?

Technology is reshaping care work in 2026. Telehealth services, remote monitoring devices, and AI-assisted diagnostics are changing how care is delivered. According to the American Telemedicine Association’s 2025 report, telehealth utilization has stabilized at 17% of all outpatient visits, up from less than 1% before the pandemic. This shift allows more people to receive care at home, but it also requires new skills for care workers.

Policy changes are also transforming the care landscape. Several countries have implemented universal childcare programs or expanded paid family leave. For example, in 2025, the European Union updated its work-life balance directive to strengthen parental leave rights. In the United States, 12 states and the District of Columbia now have paid family and medical leave programs, according to the National Partnership for Women & Families’ 2025 analysis.

Who Should Learn About Care Work?

Care work is relevant to everyone, but certain groups may benefit most from understanding it:

• Family caregivers who are supporting aging parents or disabled relatives need to know about available resources and support.
• Working parents balancing childcare and careers can benefit from understanding care policies and workplace rights.
• Policymakers and employers designing care-friendly policies need data on care work’s scope and impact.
• Students and career changers considering care professions should understand the job outlook and requirements.
• Anyone interested in social justice should recognize how care work intersects with gender, race, and economic inequality.

Common Misconceptions About Care Work

One common misconception is that care work is unskilled labor. In reality, care work requires a complex mix of technical, emotional, and organizational skills. For example, a home health aide must know how to administer medications, recognize signs of infection, and communicate compassionately with patients. The ILO’s 2023 report emphasizes that care work is skilled and deserves formal recognition and training.

Another misconception is that care work is only for women. While women do the majority of care work, men increasingly take on care roles. The ILO’s 2023 report notes that men’s participation in unpaid care work is rising, though still far below women’s. In 2026, social norms are slowly shifting, but the gender gap remains a significant challenge.

How to Support Care Workers

Supporting care workers can take many forms, from individual actions to policy changes. Here are some evidence-based ways:

• Advocate for fair wages and benefits. According to the Economic Policy Institute’s 2024 report, raising the minimum wage for care workers would reduce poverty and improve care quality.
• Provide respite care options. The ARCH National Respite Network’s 2025 fact sheet shows that respite care reduces caregiver burnout and delays institutionalization.
• Invest in training and career pathways. The World Health Organization’s 2024 report recommends expanding training programs for community health workers to address workforce shortages.
• Promote flexible work arrangements. The International Labour Organization’s 2023 report found that flexible schedules help workers balance care and employment.

The Future of Care Work

The future of care work will be shaped by demographic trends, technological innovation, and policy decisions. By 2030, the number of people aged 60 and over will reach 1.4 billion, according to the United Nations’ 2025 World Population Prospects. This will increase demand for eldercare services. At the same time, AI and robotics may automate some care tasks, but the human element of care will remain irreplaceable.

Investing in care work is not just a social good but an economic imperative. The McKinsey Global Institute’s 2023 study estimates that closing the gender gap in care work could add $12 trillion to global GDP by 2025. As we move further into 2026, recognizing and valuing care work will be critical to building resilient societies.

Now that you understand the basics of care work, explore related topics like paid family leave policies, caregiving resources, and career paths in healthcare.