As employees take more time off to deal with illnesses, mental health concerns, and caregiving responsibilities, employee leave requests have risen for the third consecutive year. More than half of employers have reported a significant increase in employees requesting leave in 2024. The time limit of the leave varies depending on the type of leave as some companies provide paid leave and their policies can vary significantly. Research found that employers are supporting the importance of leave and states the number of employers offering paid leave benefits has increased over the past few years.
This can become a challenge for HR in managing volume and ensuring there is available time off so that employees can deal with their needs. Additional potential complications from employee leave are compliance matters, productivity, meeting business needs, managing a positive employee experience, and making sure employees feel heard, supported, and receive timely responses throughout the process.
HR teams should assist employees in understanding their leave benefits by letting them know what is available, and how the benefits work, along with the necessary documents and communication needed for the requested time off.