Objectives Many employees combine their work with informal care responsibilities for family and friends, potentially impacting their well-being and sustained employability. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a workplace participatory approach (PA) intervention in supporting working caregivers to prevent and solve problems related to balancing work, private life, and informal care tasks.

Methods We conducted a two-armed randomized controlled trial (ISRCTN15363783) in which working caregivers either received the PA (N=57), under guidance of an occupational professional serving as process facilitator, or usual care (N=59). We recruited 125 working caregivers from four Dutch organizations. Questionnaire-based measurements were assessed at baseline, 4, and 7 months. The primary outcome was work–life imbalance. Secondary outcomes were perceived social support from supervisors and colleagues, role overload, distress and perceived burden of combining work and informal care. Intervention effects were analyzed using intention-to-treat analysis and linear mixed models.

Results The PA was not effective in reducing work–life imbalance, improving support from colleagues or reducing role overload, distress and perceived burden of combining work and informal care. However, the PA significantly improved perceived social support from supervisors at 4 months [β=0.54, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.21–0.88] and 7 months (β=0.36, 95% CI 0.02–0.70). Interaction effects indicated that improvement in supervisor support varied depending on the organization.

Conclusion The PA improved supervisor support but not work–life imbalance. Further research should explore PA effects on working caregivers with and without balance issues and the role of supervisor support in reducing work–life conflict.

Key terms balancing work; caregiver; caregiving employee; informal care; informal caregiver; occupational health professional; randomized controlled trial; RCT; supervisor; supervisor support work–life balance; work–family balance; work–family conflict; work–life conflict; workplace intervention; workplace participatory approach

• Supplementary material