Her story is one that so many can relate to. March 2020: No more commuting, no more office gatherings, no more collaboration … just home. More than two years later, Jess Marble, Director of Care for Business, shares how Care benefits have helped maintain some balance and alleviate stress as she adapts to her new (and permanent) remote work life.
What is your role at Care?
I have the best job. My team and I help employers understand the value of supporting their employees and working caregivers, then connect them with benefits designed for their specific needs.
Have you used the benefits yourself?
Yes! People are sometimes surprised to hear how much I’ve used the benefits because I’m not a parent yet, but Backup Care and the Care Membership has helped me a lot over the past few years.
What prompted you to use your Care Membership?
During the pandemic, our company transitioned to being a remote workforce, and our former physical office closed for good. Now, my home is my office and my office is my home. It was a bit of an adjustment to work and live in the same four walls—all day, every day. My daily cycle became work, clean, laundry, repeat. I was overwhelmed, sad, and tired.
My co-workers recommended I find a housekeeper to free up some time so I could focus on the things that bring me joy to work on my mental health. This sounds so silly, but I had to give it a try. Spoiler alert … it worked!
We hired an amazing woman from Care.com, who visits us twice a month. She has whipped this house into tip-top shape and the weight lifted from my shoulders is priceless. Investing in help around the house truly is a form of self care.
How did Backup Care make things easier for you?
I use pet Backup Care about once a month when I have to travel for work. Having a reliable and trustworthy pet sitter for my cat, Charlie Daniels, has made it much easier to commit to time on the road.
So every time I travel, I hire my cat sitter, Cait, to check on him once a day and my company pays for the majority of the cost. They get it … they’re asking me to travel, and with that comes expenses. It’s so easy to pay her and submit a receipt for reimbursement through my Care app. I’m thankful that Care recognizes that pet owners have care needs too.
What advice would you give to others who haven’t used their benefit yet?
We are all trying to figure out the new normal of working from home or returning to work post-pandemic—whatever it may be. I would encourage others who have felt like me to ask their managers or employers for help. When we give so much of ourselves to our job—hours during the day, extra time in the sky, at airports, on the weekends and more—I think it is fair to ask for support in return. Use the benefits that you do have—or ask HR for new ones that would help. I believe we all want to do a good job at our job, and it is a lot easier to do that when you are comfortable at home and the ones you love (like pets!) are happy too.
