March 25, 2024
According to Business Group on Health’s 2024 Employer Leave Strategy and Transformation Survey, 73% of surveyed employers indicated that the employee experience with the leave process is a significant challenge at their company. Implementing changes to improve the employee leave experience was the most common change for 2023 noted in the survey (33% of employers). When making such critical changes, employers are encouraged to take a holistic approach when determining which strategies are working well and where improvements can be made.
The following table outlines opportunities to consider for improving the employee experience before, during and after leave. These suggestions are based on the experiences of employers on the Business Group’s Leave Optimization Forum.
|
|
Lead by Example |
| When it comes to internal staff,
leaders, administrators and
employees can do their part to
encourage the use of leave and
enhance the experience across
each organization.
|
Before Leave |
|
Exemplify ideal leave practices as a role model (e.g., taking parental leave) for other employees to follow |
|
Get buy-in from leaders to facilitate daily workflow enhancements and benefits |
During Leave |
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Promote positive mental health by minimizing connections to work while on leave; all employees can take measures such as avoiding checking email or logging on for assignments while taking time off |
After Leave |
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Collect data on the leave experience, usage patterns or employee feedback to help make the case for improvement to leadership |
Establish Clear Communication |
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Simplifying employee communications on leave with clarity in mind will reduce frustration and confusion among employees taking leave. |
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Offer clear, streamlined information and resources that are easily accessible to employees and their families |
|
Confirm employee preferences ahead of time for communication during their leave about essential leave-related or return-to-work issues |
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Clarify workflow for projects when an employee is out on leave, such as potentially offering stretch assignments, redistributing work among the team or organizing rotations for coverage |
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Assist in employee’s reentry after an extended leave by offering flexibility (e.g., phase-in hours, remote work, linking to additional benefits resources such as EAP or other work/life services) |
Diversify Resources |
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Using a variety of tools and resources for additional support is a great way to create a wellrounded leave experience. |
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Collaborate with employee resource groups to reduce stigma associated with taking PTO |
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Use employee assistance programs and increase employee awareness of their services |
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Pair employees with “compassion concierges” who can act as a benefits liaison, facilitate the paperwork process or provide similar HR/internal benefit support services to the employee and their family as needed |
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Leverage technology to track and improve the leave experience |
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Implement a white-glove, high-touch model that uses both technological and humancentered tactics to ease the transition for employees returning to work |
Helpful Links
- Elevating the Leave Experience
- 2024 Employer Leave Strategy and Transformation Survey
- Global Well-being: Employee Needs and Employer Offerings
- Leave and Time Away: The Road Ahead in 2024
- Engaging Managers in the Leave Experience
- Leave Optimization Forum
More Topics
Articles & Guides
Leave & Flexible Work Arrangements
Culture and Strategy
Leave Policy
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