For organisations that operate on a global level, managing the diversity of employee leave and absence types across various countries can present a substantial network of regulations and complexities the need to be addressed. As companies expand their operations internationally, they encounter a diverse landscape of regulations, cultural expectations and varying employee needs. Each country may have its own set of laws governing leave entitlements — from parental and sick leave to vacation and bereavement policies—making it essential for organisations to maintain compliance whilst fostering transparency and operational continuity.
To meet these demands, leveraging advanced workforce management software is a crucial step in simplifying the complexities of workforce leave management, providing organisations with the agility to adapt to local regulations whilst ensuring a consistent and supportive experience for employees worldwide.
Our webinar, Leave Management Without the Headache: Smarter Solutions for a Global Workforce, featured experts Jen Blaharski, Solution Consultant at WorkForce Software, an ADP company, as well as Lani Davis, Head of Global Workforce Management and Anna Powell, Consulting Manager, Professional Services, from Rizing. Together, they highlighted how the ADP WorkForce Suite’s Absence Management solution can transform global leave tracking into a more efficient, compliant and employee-friendly experience.
“In order to really achieve the greatest impact, your global leave strategy also needs to consider the processes and the workflows that are involved, the levels of transparency that you should be providing to various stakeholders within the organisation, as well as how that strategy supports operational continuity.”
Jen Blaharski | Solution Consultant at WorkForce Software, an ADP Company
8 Emerging Trends in Global Employee Leave Types
Understanding the current trends in leave management is crucial for organisations aiming to stay ahead of evolving employee needs and regulatory landscapes. As the workforce becomes more diverse and global, companies must adapt their leave policies to accommodate varied cultural norms, legal requirements and employee experience expectations. By staying informed about these emerging leave types, organisations can foster a more inclusive and supportive environment that attracts and retains top talent.
- Parental Leaves: Many countries are shifting towards more inclusive parental leave policies, emphasising gender-neutral options for both maternity and paternity leaves.
- Sick Leave: The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the formalisation of paid sick leave, with many nations now recognising the importance of leave for illness and quarantine.
- Mental Health Leaves: Mental health is increasingly acknowledged as a valid reason for taking leave, reflecting a broader acceptance of mental well-being in workplace culture.
- Reproductive Health Leave: Many regions are now offering leave for fertility treatments, miscarriages and recovery, showing a commitment to supporting employees through sensitive health matters.
- Inclusive Bereavement Leave: Bereavement policies are evolving to be more inclusive of varying family structures and relationships.
- Paid Family and Caregiving Leave: More countries are providing paid leave for caregiving responsibilities, expanding eligibility beyond just children to include elderly parents and ill relatives.
- Climate Change and Crisis Leave: As climate-related crises become more common, organisations are starting to implement disaster relief leave policies to support affected employees.
- Flexible and Remote Work Changes: With the rise of remote work, companies are reevaluating how vacation, sick and personal leaves are tracked, with growing trends towards “unlimited” PTO.
Why A Global Leave Management Strategy Matters
Creating a global leave management strategy means that organisations adapt their leave management strategies to account for different regulations, cultural norms and business practices across countries. A strong global leave strategy is essential not just for compliance, but for maintaining transparency, operational continuity and employee satisfaction.
Some advantages of implementing an effective global leave management include:
- Better Enforcement of Local Requirements: Simplify processes by defining whether if leave types based on pre-defined eligibility rules. This allows employers to quickly adapt to changing regulations while keeping a thorough audit trail—from the first request to the employee’s return.
- Greater Transparency: Empowering employees with self-service capabilities saves time by allowing them to initiate leave cases, track eligibility, workflows, approvals, documentation and projected balances.
- Promote Operational Continuity: Centralising data into a single solution helps leave cases transition smoothly between administrators, keeping the integrity of information and allowing operations to effectively manage staffing.
Leveraging the ADP WorkForce Suite for Absence Management
The ADP WorkForce Suite’s Absence Management offers a comprehensive solution to help organisations navigate the challenges of managing employee leave. Key features like Leave Determination, capture essential information directly from employee data to find leave types and eligibility. This functionality not only enhances transparency but also reduces administrative inquiries.
Additionally, the solution includes Active Case Management, allowing organisations to document every communication throughout the leave process, ensuring that both employees and HR representatives have a clear understanding and complete documentation of each case. Organisations can also benefit from the North American Compliance Pak which provides extensive coverage of national and local leave regulations, helping simplify compliance with various laws like the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), reducing legal risks and enhancing operational efficiency.
Effective global leave management isn’t just about adjusting global policies to meet new legal requirements; it’s about fostering a compassionate and transparent workplace culture. By using tools like the ADP WorkForce Suite Absence Management, organisations can reduce the administrative burden associated with leave management while improving employee satisfaction and productivity.
“Somebody may be eligible for multiple leaves and this software allows you to apply each of these [leave types] and you can see how each of these works together. They can cascade — they can all be working at the same time to give the maximum benefit to your employees.”
Lani Davis | Head of Global Workforce Management at Rizing
Ready to Start Building a Global Leave Management Strategy?
See the full webinar, Leave Management Without the Headache and explore more insights for implementing a global employee leave strategy.
