Amid changing workforce expectations, report finds a positive leave experience boosts employee morale and loyalty
NEW YORK, Oct. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — A new report from The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America® (Guardian) has found that how employees are supported during a period of leave corresponds to higher morale and loyalty when back in the workplace. According to the report, employees who report a good leave experience are two times as likely to say their employer cares about their well-being.
Guardian finds employees who have a positive leave experience are 75% more likely to stay at their job for 5-plus years
The new report, The Employee Leave Experience, examines employers’ and employees’ attitudes around the leave experience, including sick leave, vacation leave, mental health days, paid time off, bereavement leave, maternity leave, family care leave, paternity leave, paid family and medical leave (PFML), Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), short-term disability insurance (STD), and long-term disability insurance (LTD).
Download The Employee Leave Experience report here: Â https://www.guardianlife.com/reports/the-employee-leave-experience.Â
When asked about their priorities for their absence management programs and supporting employees with non-maternity injuries or illnesses, 40% of employers say their top absence management priority is helping employees stay at work. Additionally, 36% say it’s ensuring policies and procedures are compliant, 33% say it’s creating a culture of care, empathy, and well-being, and 29% say it is supporting an employee in their return to safe and meaningful work.
In thinking ahead to how they can continue to help support a positive leave experience for employees, more than 80% of employers say they’re considering moving toward a broad paid leave policy that addresses multiple leave reasons, rather than maintaining separate policies.
“Evolving worker expectations are driving organizations to reexamine their leave management practices in order to offer the best experience,” said Jessica Vanscavish, Head of Disability, Absence, Life, and Supplemental Health at Guardian. “When processes are streamlined, communications are clear, and there is a single point of contact for questions, employees are more likely to feel supported before, during, and after a leave, directly translating into improved morale and loyalty.”
Other takeaways from The Employee Leave Experience report include:
Trends in employee leave and absence-related claims:
- 81% of employers say mental health issues contribute to absences at their organization, with 50% seeing an increase in mental health claims and 30% seeing an increase in postpartum depression claims.
- While on leave, 39% of workers used mental health counseling benefits and 35% used physical therapy benefits. Fifteen percent also claimed benefits from their supplemental health insurance policies.
Critical influences on the employee leave experience:
- 50% of employers say having a supportive manager is the most influential factor impacting the employee leave experience. Fifty-six percent of employees said their manager’s support made a positive difference in their leave experience.
- 30% of employers say the ability to make a single request for all applicable types of leave has the greatest positive impact on their employees’ absence experience. Twenty-four percent of employers say ease of interacting online is most important.
Employer priorities for their absence management programs:
- 65% of employers are considering incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) into their absence management programs, with 19% having already incorporated AI into their disability and FMLA administration through benefit administration tools or partnerships.
- Nearly eight in 10 employers rate the employee leave experience at their organization as “excellent” or “good,” including submitting a request for disability/FMLA leave (79%), return to work (78%), communications across parties while on leave (77%), approval of disability/FMLA leave (76%), claims payment (76%), educating managers and supervisors (75%), and educating employees (74%).
- 52% of employers say their top reason for benefits integration is to increase employee access to benefits, followed by reducing HR workload (41%), improving program outcomes (36%), providing more comprehensive data (33%), and decreasing employee confusion (30%).
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About Guardian
Guardian makes a difference in the lives of people when they need us most. With 165 years of stability and fiscal integrity, we are a trusted resource to generations of families and business owners, inspiring well-being and helping build financial confidence. Today, we stand behind millions of consumers, helping them prepare and plan for a bright future for themselves and their families. We help business owners care for their employees. And we help people recover and thrive in times of unexpected loss. As a modern mutual insurance company, we believe in driving value beyond dividends. We invest in our colleagues, are building an inclusive and innovative culture, and are helping to uplift communities through thoughtful corporate impact programs. Guardian, which is based in New York City, is a leading provider of life, disability, dental, and other benefits, and has received accolades for its culture and service. Our colleagues and financial professionals serve with care and experience, and our commitments rest on a strong financial foundation, which included a 2025 dividend allocation of $1.6 billion – the largest in the company’s history. For more information, visit guardianlife.com or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
About The Employee Leave Experience Report
Employer results from The Employee Leave Experience Report are based on findings from Guardian’s eighth Absence Management Activity Index and Study, conducted in the 4th quarter of 2024. It consisted of an online survey completed by 1,215 benefit professionals who work for employers with at least 50 full-time, benefits eligible employees.
Employee results are based on Guardian’s 14th Annual Workplace Benefits Study, conducted in January and February 2025. This Study surveyed 2,000 employees age 22 or older who work full- or part-time for a company with at least five employees.
Disclaimer
Dividends are not guaranteed. They are declared annually by Guardian’s Board of Directors. The total dividend calculation includes mortality experience and expense management as well as investment results.
All guarantees are backed by the strength and claims paying ability of the issuing insurance company.
Financial information concerning Guardian as of December 31, 2024, on a statutory basis: Admitted assets = $86.8 billion; liabilities = $77.5 billion (including $60.7 billion of reserves); and surplus = $9.3 billion.
Guardian’s Group Insurance products are underwritten and issued by The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, New York, NY. Products are not available in all states.
All data is sourced from Guardian’s The Employee Leave Experience report.
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SOURCE Guardian
