To attract today’s talent, employers need to promote every benefit they offer, including leave.
According to data from the Society of Human Resource Management, recruiters’ top challenges include low applicant volume, competition from other employers, and flaky candidates. Employers also expressed frustration over their inability to deliver on candidate expectations, like flexible work and high compensation.
These struggles illustrate why it’s important for employers to position themselves as strongly as possible to job seekers. The data points out, however, that some employers aren’t keeping up with the demands of today’s candidates. By highlighting your organization’s leave benefits and showcasing your processes, you can attract even the most selective candidates.
Candidates Evaluate You by Your Leave Policy
Job seekers can’t afford to overlook your company’s leave policy. While a handful of states provide paid family or medical leave, the U.S. does not maintain a federal paid leave law. Many employees have no choice but to rely on whatever provisions their employers provide.
Leave benefits play a key role in the decision-making process
The lack of federal paid leave means job seekers are on the lookout for employers with generous leave policies. Our Leave of Absence Experience and Business Impact Report revealed that paid leave ranks high among job seekers’ priorities:
- 87% of respondents said that it is very or somewhat important for their employer to offer paid leave as a benefit.
- 86% of respondents said they are more likely to apply to a job that offers paid leave benefits.
- Flexible time off, mental health days, and parental leave are the top preferred leave benefits.
Leave is so important to job seekers, in fact, that 42% of respondents said they wouldn’t apply for a job that came without paid leave.
Competitive pay isn’t enough when leave policies feel rigid or unclear
Of course, applicants aren’t just looking at leave. Job seekers still place high importance on compensation. But salary isn’t everything.
When an organization’s leave policies are needlessly rigid, unclear, or non-existent, job seekers may decide to look elsewhere for employment. It’s sound logic: A worker may be attracted to a six-figure salary, but if they’ll have to spend a large chunk of that salary to fund a leave of absence, it’s less valuable.
Lackluster leave policies also say a lot about a company’s culture. These days, workers aren’t willing to work for places that don’t value them as people. Gen Z, in particular, wants to work for organizations whose values align with their own. Young workers who appreciate balance and flexibility won’t want to work for companies that treat leave as an afterthought or a last resort, even if they’re highly compensated.
What Job Seekers Actually Want from Leave
We know leave is important to today’s talent. But what do they desire from a leave of absence outside of time off? AbsenceSoft data helps answer this question.
Flexibility, transparency, and a smooth process
A generous leave policy does not guarantee a good leave experience. When respondents in our 2025 State of Leave and Accommodations Report described a positive experience with taking leave, they spoke about clear expectations, smooth processes, and supportive managers:
- “My leave experience was smooth, with clear communication and support from the team.”
- “I left to take care of a family member in another state. I was given enough time off and returned to work when I could. HR and my manager were very kind and helpful when I requested my leave.”
- “The whole process was easy and everyone was super helpful. It helped me feel confident taking my leave.”
When asked what caused them to feel good about their leave of absence, respondents pointed to several key factors: helpful managers and HR, correct pay, and clear processes.
Data shows gaps between expectations and reality
Unfortunately, this kind of leave experience is far from universal. Many respondents reported a bad leave experience, which may help explain why an employer’s approach to leave is important to so many candidates.
Here’s what employees had to say about their poor leave experiences:
- The process was confusing or unclear.
- I was contacted too much during my leave.
- My pay was miscalculated and I wasn’t paid correctly.
- My benefits, such as health insurance or disability, were canceled.
- My employment was terminated during my leave.
How Manual Leave Management Can Hurt Your Employer Brand
You know what candidates want from your leave program, so what’s stopping you from delivering a good experience? Manual processes are often the culprit. When employers forgo technology, they risk making mistakes, creating delays, and saddling employees with long to-do lists.
Long response times, paper forms, and poor communication leave their mark
When employees reported poor leave experiences, they called out a few factors that contributed to their negative perception. Manual processes stood out. Delays, paperwork, and poor communication became a theme among respondents who described how manual processes derailed their leave experience:
- “There is a lot of red tape you have to get through at work. I really wish it was all approved much faster.”
- “My return was delayed because they lost my paperwork. They mailed the paperwork to me and I filled it out and dropped it off. They then somehow misplaced it, so I had to refill it out. It delayed me a couple of days getting back to work.”
- “The paperwork process was horrible and paperwork kept getting lost. And then I would have to get it and fill it out again. Awful.”
- “My manager and HR kept calling me, asking when I was coming back to work.”
Word spreads, especially in healthcare, education and public sector roles
Of course, these experiences don’t happen in a vacuum.
When employees endure a terrible experience, they talk about it. And not just to their co-workers: Nearly a quarter of employees said their negative leave experience would cause them to warn others from working for their employer, AbsenceSoft data revealed.
This impact is a problem for any organization, but it’s especially worrisome for employers that already deal with high turnover or employer branding challenges. The healthcare industry, for example, is plagued by worker shortages. Hospitals and other healthcare facilities need workers to come back from leave refreshed and motivated — not looking for a new job and encouraging others to do the same.
Similarly, in the age of the internet, someone’s bad leave experience can easily become a social media nightmare. For highly visible organizations like public sector employers, one person’s frustration can become a blight for everyone to see.
Real-World Examples: What a Better Experience Looks Like
According to AbsenceSoft data, positive leave experiences are marked by clear processes, seamless flow, and supportive interactions. Employers can use technology to ensure they deliver leave in this way to all employees, every time.
Self-service portals and clear timelines build trust
Employees who need leave rarely know how to request it. Some send an email to HR. Others talk to their manager. A few may simply disappear and ask for leave later on.
Self-service portals centralize the leave-requesting process. With AbsenceSoft’s self-service portal, for example, employees can submit a leave request at any time of day, from any device. The portal provides a one-stop, accessible destination, so employees know where to take their request and what information to provide.
The request is only the beginning of the process. The initial ask kicks off the leave certification process, which takes time. When employers use a system like AbsenceSoft, the platform tracks where an employee’s request is within the certification process, and allows all stakeholders to check on the status whenever they need an update. By making this information available, employees, managers, and HR stay up to date and in the loop.
Personalized communication keeps employees engaged and informed
The leave and accommodations process shouldn’t feel dispassionate. Slow or unclear processes can undermine even the best workplace culture. But a personalized, modern approach shows employees they are valued by their employers. In fact, AbsenceSoft data shows that a supportive, personalized experience improves loyalty, retention, and productivity.
To provide personalized support, employers need to lean on automation, which makes personalization easy by:
- Freeing up HR so it has time to provide support.
- Alleviating managers and giving them bandwidth to respond supportively.
- Creating a convenient, modern experience for employees.
- Infusing brand culture throughout leave and accommodations processes.
Leave as a Talent Magnet, Not Just a Legal Obligation
Many organizations think of leave as something they have to do. This attitude isn’t unfounded, as employers are legally obligated to provide many types of leave. But an employer’s approach to leave can be a significant and powerful part of its recruitment strategy.
Highlight your leave benefits and process in job descriptions and onboarding
Don’t stay quiet about how your company approaches leave. If you’re confident in how your organization administers leave, put it in the spotlight. Job descriptions and onboarding materials are great places to do this. Tell candidates and new employees that they can expect seamless, personalized support when they need time off.
Employee testimonials can powerfully illustrate the impact of your organization’s leave program. Feature a quote from an employee with a moving leave story. Feeling a little techy? Invite employees to submit a TikTok-style video where they discuss what their leave experience meant to them. With employees’ permission, post these stories wherever it makes sense: on your careers page, on social media, on job sites.
Take the First Step Toward a Better Leave Experience
The importance of leave can’t be understated. Job seekers want it. Employees depend on it. When a leave of absence goes well, workers return motivated and loyal. When it goes poorly, employees are not only on the lookout for new jobs, but they would also discourage applicants from coming onboard.
Start by identifying manual pain points
Ask yourself: Where does your organization’s leave process struggle? Here are some common pain points.
- Poorly documented policies that perplex workers.
- Unclear intake procedures that leave employees confused.
- Messy certification processes that saddle employees with paperwork.
These frustrations share a common theme: They stem from manual processes.
Your organization doesn’t have to settle for manual leave management. With platforms like AbsenceSoft, you can offer current and future employees a leave experience that’s smooth, flexible, and streamlined, without burdening your HR team.
To learn more, book a demo with AbsenceSoft today.