Dominion Energy and Atlantic Union Bank are the first major employers in Richmond to back a new program from local startup Naborforce.
The startup launched a new service offering last week that will help employers better support employees who are assisting with the care of an older family member. Naborforce is a tech-enabled company that connects aging adults to a network of trusted care providers.
The new program called Naborforce for Laborforce, will provide resources and backup eldercare benefits designed to help employees balance work and caregiving, while boosting productivity and reducing turnover, Wilson said.
"A lot of employers might have something called backup elder care, but the reality is, it’s not really," said Naborforce founder Paige Wilson. "They’re connecting you to something like a home care agency. If you need help four hours at a clip, or 20 hours per week, that works, but that’s not backup."
Wilson created Naborforce in 2018 based on her own experiences as the primary caregiver for her mother. She said the majority of Naborforce accounts are initiated by adult children caregivers.
"They are, primarily, working folks just like I was," she said. "We're filling that in-between role and looking for very employee-forward companies in the Richmond market."
Wilson said Covid-19 brought this issue to the forefront more than ever before, and Naborforce for Laborforce will help family caregivers feel more supported in and out of the workplace. The Naborforce network can now be leveraged by employees to connect their loved one with a “Nabor” to help prepare meals, run errands, provide transportation to a medical appointment or just provide companionship.
"Employers are really looking at ways of supporting that whole employee, not just with fringe benefits and money, but with their overall mental health because caregiver burnout is a real thing," she said. "Covid-19 has really raised the awareness of that balance between work life and home life, and companies are looking for ways to support them."
Wendy Wellener, vice president of shared services at Dominion Energy, said in a news release that she was happy to have this sort of option for employees.
“I am proud to be working with our HR leadership on such a thoughtful, proactive approach to supporting the well-being of our workforce," she said. "Naborforce will be a tremendous resource for all of our employees.”
In addition to Richmond, Naborforce services are available in Charlottesville, Virginia; Bethesda, Maryland; and the Raleigh-Durham region of North Carolina. The startup raised a $2 million seed round in June, led by Nashville-based Claritas Capital Partners.