Three tips to consider when switching leave providers

Leave management can be one of the most important, and most often overlooked, areas of a company. Whether you are operating a public or a private organization, you want to make sure you are handling leave management correctly for the benefit of all your employees.

But what about when you want to switch providers? There is a lot to think about in order to make the transition as smooth as possible. Here are just a few of the areas you will want to take into consideration as you seek out a new provider.

1. Focus on Due Diligence

When your company is looking to switch leave providers it’s important to understand the full picture of what they’re willing to do for you and your employees. Leave can be an especially difficult area because of the number of employees it affects, and how it affects their experience with your company. Inputting an incorrect leave start date or providing inaccurate leave rates could be so detrimental to the employee that they look for employment elsewhere. In a job market where talent is scarce, you can’t afford that. The more you research providers, the more easily you can decide on the best fit for your organization. When researching, ask yourself these questions:

Will I still have final approval over leave requests?
Will they provide one-on-one education and support for my employees?
Will my employees have insight into how leave coordinates with their other benefits?

If, at a minimum, the provider isn’t willing to do these things you should keep looking.

2. Understand the Features You Need

Not only should you learn about the leave providers available, but you should also consider the features and benefits they offers. Do you need those features, or are they extras that are not going to make much of a difference to you and your employees? Going into the switch with all the right features in mind can make a big difference. So what features should you look for?

Real-time data
24/7 portal access for you and your employees
Dedicated leave analysts to help you through regulatory changes
Compliance guidance
One-on-one education and support for your employees
Customizable reporting
Integration with other voluntary benefits

3. Ask Your Employees

Consider getting input from your employees on the kinds of leave features they prefer and desires they have. You may not have the option to give employees everything they want, but you can get a lot closer to what matters to them by hearing them out before you switch. If you’re not getting much feedback, here are a few things most employees care about when it comes to leave management:

Accurate tracking
Ability to view real-time data
Insight into when they’ll be paid
Understanding of all their benefits, not just leave

Employees want to confidently understand how their other benefits might be impacted by their leave. Medical, dental, vision and voluntary benefits are already confusing for employees. In fact, 94% of employee do not have a very high-level understanding of their health benefits.¹ Giving them a resource who can help them better understand their benefits and leave options help show employees they’re valued. They’ll also likely have more confidence in the leave administrator you’ve selected.