Supporting the diverse health care needs of employees while balancing their individual responsibilities is essential in the workplace. There is a strong argument to be made that employers could do more to embrace a culture of empathy, especially when it comes to intermittent leaves. Some employers have started offering greater access to benefits that support mental health and whole-person wellness in the last decade as they pivoted to address the needs of millennial and Generation Z employees, who are more open about their mental health.
“The pandemic accelerated discussions around wholistic well-being and solidified mental health as a priority,” says Brian Murphy, director of analytic consulting at The Hartford. “Unfortunately, stigma surrounding mental health and leaves of absence persists.” According to The Hartford’s 2024 Future of Benefits Study, 33% of U.S. workers believe there is a negative perception associated with taking leave, and 34% of U.S. workers are fearful of workplace repercussions if they take leave.1
The People Behind the Absence
The data isn’t surprising considering that many employers cite intermittent leave as a point of contention, largely due to the unscheduled nature of these absences. These occurrences, also referred to as flare-ups, are episodic absences that are generally grouped as “leaves for an employee’s own condition” or “leaves to care for a family member.” These two reasons account for 95% of all intermittent absences at 59% and 36%, respectively.2
These absences are also frequently unpredictable, and they occur in high volumes. In fact, 6% of employees who take intermittent leaves accrue 50 or more occurrences annually.2 Frontline managers are challenged to keep daily operations running smoothly with a portion of their workforce intermittently absent. In these situations, it’s easy to forget that people are more than numbers.
“Part of showing employees empathy means looking beyond the data and remembering that absences may happen when people are feeling unwell during cancer treatments, or trying to balance caring for a sick child, spouse or parent,” says Joy Larochelle Gamboa, assistant director of analytic consulting at The Hartford.
Employers often try to mitigate the impact of absences by focusing on second medical opinions or leave recertification. While these strategies are important leave management tools, they don’t offer employees support or empathy during difficult times.
A Tailored Approach To Managing Leaves
The challenges related to leaves may be exacerbated by employee income disparity. For example, employees earning less than $40,000 have about 19 intermittent leaves annually, which is 38% higher than employees who earn more.2 In addition, employees in lower wage bands are often bound by more stringent attendance policies that may inadvertently compel them to take intermittent leave.
There are more targeted and empathetic ways to address the unique needs of every employee and frontline manager.
To support workplace productivity, employers should:
- Validate: Frontline managers are more directly impacted by intermittent absences as they can affect daily operations. Help managers understand that employees taking leave have met eligibility criteria without disclosing medical details. Address their concerns and begin a comprehensive review of relevant objective data. Sort absence data to show the top 10 employees by highest intermittent leave occurrence within a defined period. You can use this information to address concerns and have an open dialogue focused on root cause problem-solving.
- Audit: Using the same data set of 10 employees, audit or request an audit of their leaves. Share findings with managers and other stakeholders to discuss the appropriate management of leaves. Emphasize that the time employees take off is within the scope of their leave as established by the certifying documentation.
- Educate: Review intermittent leave regulations from the Department of Labor and state regulatory agencies to understand obligations and limitations. Provide managers with an overview of internal best practices to administer intermittent absences based on system and compliance requirements.
To lead with empathy, employers should:
- Encourage: Managers and human resources leaders should engage employees to find solutions to their high use of intermittent leaves. Ask candid questions about the impacts of time off, scheduling and policies as they relate to work-life balance. Evaluate employee feedback and recommendations to identify opportunities for adjustments.
- Plan: Use aggregated intermittent leave data to forecast periods of high use and assist leaders with absence planning. A schedule informed by data allows for enhanced flexibility.
A Culture of Compassion
Intermittent leaves can create a strain on frontline managers and employee well-being. By validating concerns and challenges that impact workplace productivity, employers can create a road map with data-driven best practices to meet managers’ needs. At the same time, they can lead with empathy and offer employees flexibility to address their health care needs. Compassionate conversations and creative strategies can foster a healthier, happier and more productive workforce.
1 The Hartford’s 2024 Future of Benefits Study, viewed June 2024.
2 The Hartford’s FMLA Book of Business; Intermittent Leaves of Absence, 2018-2022, viewed March 2024.
La información proporcionada en estos materiales brinda información general y de asesoría. It shall not be considered legal advice. The Hartford does not warrant that the implementation of any view or recommendation contained herein will: (i) result in the elimination of any unsafe conditions at your business locations or with respect to your business operations; or (ii) be an appropriate legal or business practice. The Hartford assumes no responsibility for the control or correction of hazards or legal compliance with respect to your business practices, and the views and recommendations contained herein shall not constitute our undertaking, on your behalf or for the benefit of others, to determine or warrant that your business premises, locations or operations are safe or healthful, or are in compliance with any law, rule or regulation. Readers seeking to resolve specific safety, legal or business issues or concerns related to the information provided in these materials should consult their safety consultant, attorney or business advisors. All information and representations contained herein are as of August 2024.
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