Five steps to employee-focused leave management
December 11, 2024
Until recently, many U.S. companies looked at employee leave as something to discourage — or at least minimize. Taking time off to care for new children, ailing family members or employees themselves wasn't seen as a tool for helping people stay productive. Rather, leave management was considered an administrative or HR compliance function. But times have changed.
Fast forward to today, where companies are using employee leave programs to attract talented workers, especially younger people in the workforce who feel leave of absence is a must-have benefit.
But just having a leave program isn't enough. The most successful companies create leave and absence management programs that are centered around their employees, with policies, procedures and tools that make time away from work easy to plan, easy to take and easy to return from.
HR is at the center of the circle where recruitment, retention and productivity intersect. That's why it has a key role to play in shaping the organization's approach to absence management. Here are five key ways HR can help build leave programs centered around employees and their needs.
1. Promote your leave benefits
If you want to reap the wide-ranging benefits of offering a great leave program, employees need to know about it. Promote your program widely in your organization and ensure your recruiters are taking the message to candidates.
Leave as an attraction tool is important: 6 in 10 employers try to highlight their leave program in recruiting conversations.1
When promoting your program internally, be sure to provide clear information on what leave benefits are available, who is eligible to use them and how they might work together, for example, where short-term disability may run concurrent with a federal, state and/or corporate leave. It also helps to communicate where to find more resources and how to get started.
It's critical for employees to be aware of their available leave benefits to effectively manage their work-life balance and plan for unexpected events. Understanding leave benefits enables employees to make informed decisions about their time off, recharge and return to work with renewed focus and productivity.
2. Offer easy-to-use, consumer-friendly tools
Today's employees want to do things quickly and easily — in short, digitally. Think of employees as consumers of your leave offering and ensure they have self-service tools so they can plan, request and manage leave largely on their own, across multiple platforms such as web and mobile.
For example, consider digital tools that allow employees to see how much time off they are entitled to, how much they will be paid and what information and documents will be required. Not only will this provide a better employee experience, but it will also cut down on phone calls and emails to HR.
88% of employers without leave technology solutions say they’re likely to seek them out.1
3. Support employees in their return to work
A company can lose valuable talent by not giving people a clear path back to work. A few simple steps can help ensure a high rate of return after leave.
Managers should proactively inform employees about the company's leave policy and the support available for taking leave, well before an employee needs to take time off. Additionally, managers should emphasize that the organization values and looks forward to the employee's return.
When benefits information is communicated effectively, employees are more likely to understand the full value of their benefit packages.2
Employers should work with the employee to determine an appropriate return-to-work timeline before the leave begins and confirm it as the estimated date approaches. HR can assist by discussing the reintegration process and what accommodations and resources are available to the employee. Companies can show support by offering specialized care for the life moments that often surround leave and disability. This could include mental health support, caregiving services and chronic pain management.
4. Leverage leave tech and integration to solve business problems
The complexity of managing requirements for FMLA, ADA and state and municipal leaves has been the driving force leading many companies to outsource leave. But compliance is only the beginning of what third-party leave management can offer.
Sophisticated technology can take more routine tasks off your HR team’s plate, but deep benefits integration takes your tech investment to the next level. With deep integration, an employee’s leave details are already in the system, so updates can be reflected in the client’s HCM platform (such as Workday) in realtime, and necessary changes to payroll are easily triggered, ensuring employees receive their correct leave entitlements and pay.
Employers with complete integration and leave tech are more likely to rate their leave program highly.1
Leave tech solutions and data integrations have a strong impact on outcomes
Employers with complete integrations and leave tech are likely to rate their leave program highly.
Performance rating of leave program features (% excellent/very good):
These integrations are more likely to result in high satisfaction from all parties.
Leave management process satisfaction:
5. Help teams manage workload during colleagues’ absences
Managing workload during colleagues' absences can be challenging, but with the right strategies, teams can maintain productivity and reduce stress. Developing a flexible plan to redistribute tasks and responsibilities, along with cross-training employees to handle multiple roles, ensures that critical functions are covered without overburdening anyone.
Open communication is crucial for successful workload management. Managers should clearly communicate the temporary nature of increased workload and offer support while employees should be encouraged to discuss their workload and any challenges. This collaborative approach fosters teamwork and aligns everyone toward common goals.
HR can lead the way
Companies that value their employees as whole people, and craft employee-centered leave programs to help them, will likely reap the financial rewards of a workforce that is more talented, more experienced, more loyal and more productive. HR professionals are uniquely well-positioned to lead the way for their organizations.
Ready to transform your leave and absence administration?
1 Unum Insights Report, Leave and absence management, 2024.
2 LIMRA, Benefits and Employee Attitude Tracker (BEAT) Study, 2024.