Absence and leave management can get really complicated really fast, even for small companies. The biggest challenges seem to be in the details of leave management, from the process of managing leave requests to essential FMLA and disability compliance. Here, we consider what the biggest challenges are and how absence management solutions for the workplace can overcome those challenges.
A major solution provided by absence management software is how to effectively manage requests.
Here's how it usually goes: Administrators find that with spreadsheets or just plain Word documents, they can’t see who has earned leave and who hasn’t. Then, there’s the headache of trying to see if someone else has requested the same time off. They can't see the bigger picture of labor data. A lack of visibility into available resources and inconsistency in the process can also open up the company to complaints from employees. They might feel that an administrator is being unfair or that taking leave is too complicated.
Approvers need a system that brings together requests, how much time an employee has available to request off, and the costs of that leave. Having a specific process in place will prevent miscommunication between employees and approvers. This starts with having specific leave policies in your employee manual and then following those policies.
Then, we advise that you input those policies into an absence management solution. The most innovative leave management systems out there will not only bring together all the data that approvers need, but it will also ensure policy compliance. Just inputting the policy into the system will let the software do some of the work in denying requests that do not comply with company policy.
Many companies require their employees to email HR to find out how much leave they have accrued, which makes HR responsible for not only keeping track of leave balances, but responding to each request. This also takes HR away from their other duties and keeps their inbox full of requests. In the end, the employee is also left waiting for a response from HR before they can book their travel, which costs real money and time for that employee.
Not having a place where employees can see their leave balances and submit requests can leave employees frustrated. Then, if employees are frustrated enough, they might not take the leave that they’ve earned, perhaps because they don’t even know that they’ve earned it. There's a better way for absence management processing.
Today, employees want their own self-service hub where they can easily see their leave balances and submit their requests. Absence & leave management software lets employees stay on top of their leave balances and allows them to quickly and easily see whether their leave has been approved. Managers can also see what requests have been made and they can respond to requests more quickly within the automated leave management system.
As an added bonus, not only can employees get more visibility, but also companies can use leave management software to manage all their complex accrual needs. Automated software can allow you to assign leave accrual rates at the employee level. Plus, employees can see future leave balances, which helps employees plan for the future.
Leave gets complex when some employees want to their Paid Time Off and others just want to take time off without leave. This is, of course, outside of the complexity inherent in the FMLA and can be a challenge for those administrators who are still using spreadsheets or doing requests by hand on paper.
The way to overcome payroll mistakes is to use software that tracks available leave balances and is flexible enough to allow you to input several kinds of leave. A system that automatically tracks whether an employee is taking paid or unpaid leave means that payroll errors are reduced and you’re not accidentally paying or not paying someone.
While the FMLA provides help to millions of employees in achieving that healthy work-life balance, there are instances in which both the FMLA and regular leave policies are abused by employees who want more or less time off than has been earned.
Combating leave abuse
means communicating with
employees and building a
workplace culture
that makes employees
want to come to work.
The first line of defense is making sure that managers have a resource for what to do if they think that abuse is happening. This means having a policy in place for what happens if abuse is suspected and if abuse is proven. Some good advice is to establish procedures for employees to use if they need time off, from call-in procedures to how to request longer leave. The next step is to track all leave properly. Automated timekeeping software is useful for this and will reduce the administrative burden on HR and on managers.
In general, however, combating leave abuse might be just about staying in communication with employees and about building a workplace culture that makes employees want to come to work so that aren’t actively trying to avoid the job. From a stress-free workplace to providing reimbursements as a benefit to establishing policies that improve compliance, there are several steps that employers and managers can take that can go a long way in creating a positive workplace energy.
The common thread between each of these problems seems to be time tracking software combined with absence management software. Here’s what makes for in the best leave management software and what capabilities you should look for when you’re researching your options:
These leave management software capabilities will set you up for success in the future, simplifying the complexity of absence management. Automated leave management solutions like DATABASICS will open up time in your workday so you can get back to your real job.
For more information on the DATABASICS Time & Expense solutions, contact us, or call (800) 599-0434.
DATABASICS provides cloud-based, next generation Expense Reporting, P-Card Management, Timesheet Management, Leave Management, and Invoice Processing automation. Specializing in meeting the most rigorous requirements, DATABASICS offers the highest level of service to its customers around the world.
DATABASICS is relied upon by leading organizations representing all the major sectors of the global economy: financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, research, retail, engineering, nonprofits/NGOs, technology, federal contractors, and other sectors.
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