Open enrollment may be just around the corner, but if you’re like most coordinators, your mind is probably thinking two, three, or even four steps ahead. Ensuring your employees update or renew their plans during OE is one thing, but encouraging them to take advantage of benefits during important life events can frazzle even the most tenured professional.
If you’ve encountered either problem during open enrollments of years past, the problem likely isn’t your benefits engagement strategy. It might be how accessible (or inaccessible) your policy information is for your employee population.
Any successful employee engagement strategy hinges on the ease and accessibility of benefits so employees have the resources they need when they need them. But critical life events like birth, adoption, or loss require the immediate accessibility of important due dates, resources, and policies, like parental leave.
Having access to clear leave policies helps reduce the stress that often comes with life’s big changes. Many employees struggle to find or fully understand their paid parental leave options before or even after giving birth. But by centralizing this information and streamlining awareness, you can empower your employees to plan ahead, ensure their financial security, and take advantage of benefits all year long.
The Advantages of Accessible Paid Parental Leave
When maternity and paternal leave policies are digestible, clear, and easily obtainable, parents can prepare ahead of time and focus on what matters most in the moment. And with personalized support available throughout parental leave, employees are 55% more likely to return to their jobs for the long-term, according to SHRM.
Aside from the direct business gains that come with expanding parental leave access, showing employees that you care during critical life events does wonders for their wellbeing. When parents know they have full holistic support from their employers before, during, and after birth, they’re more likely to experience:
- Reduced stress: Having easy access to paid parental leave information helps employees feel more secure when life gets overwhelming. Whether preparing for the birth or adoption of a new child, knowing their rights can reduce their stress.
- Enhanced job planning: An accessible and well-communicated family leave policy also enables new parents to plan their leaves in advance, ensuring they can manage their personal lives and financial responsibilities without any last-minute surprises.
- Work-life balance: Paid family leave is crucial for parents to spend time and bond with their new child or care for a family member without worrying about balancing work demands.
- Financial ease: Clear information on paid maternity, paternity, and family leave helps employees financially prepare for their time away from work, relieving money anxiety and financial stress.
- Improved morale: When employees know they have access to paid leave time, they feel valued and appreciated. This contributes to a positive workplace culture and improves overall team morale.
Common Challenges with Expanding Parental Leave Access
Even the most generous paid parental leave policy won’t help employees if it’s hard to find, poorly communicated, or siloed from other important resources.
To ensure your employees make the most of their maternity and parental leave, it’s crucial to ensure your program doesn’t suffer from:
- Lack of transparency: Without dedicated software to house important leave information, many employees are left unaware of their benefits, especially when policies aren’t proactively communicated. This can lead to underutilization of available family leave options, leaving employees in the dark about their rights.
- Complex eligibility criteria: Parental leave policies often come with a maze of eligibility requirements, such as tenure, FMLA leave regulations, or employment duration. According to the Employee and Worksite Perspectives of the Family and Medical Leave Act, 44% of U.S. workers don’t even qualify for benefits through FMLA, making it difficult for smaller employers and part-time workers to offer or receive care. For new employees, especially in small companies, understanding whether they qualify can be confusing without guidance.
- Lack of centralized information: In many organizations, information about paid family leave is scattered across physical and digital employee handbooks, outdated tech stacks, and other platforms. When employees need quick answers—such as during pre- or post-delivery—they often face difficulties finding relevant information in one convenient place.
Best Practices for Centralizing Maternity and Parental Leave
Here are 3 best practices to ensure your parental leave policies are easy to access ahead of open enrollment:
1. Clearly Communicate Rights Year-Round—Not Just After Birth
Employee leave policies must contain straightforward, easy-to-understand language to maximize readability. Avoiding complex legal jargon can help employees quickly grasp their parental leave options and take full advantage of their benefits.
It’s also best practice to provide year-round communication about maternity and paternity leave policies so employees are fully aware before the big day comes. Regular updates on paid family leave and eligibility criteria help employees stay informed, no matter their life stage or work tenure. (Bonus points if you provide various versions of policy materials in multiple languages so all employees, regardless of their background, know their rights.)
2. Use Onboarding and Ongoing Training to Expand Awareness
Onboarding new employees is the ideal time to introduce leave policies right from the jump. Educating new hires on paid maternity leave, family leave, and FMLA leave options introduces support from the start, helping them feel secure, supported, and prepared for future life changes.
But if questions do arise throughout the year, it’s essential that managers are well-versed in policy information should employees require quick answers. Offering comprehensive training to managers ensures they can confidently guide employees through the process, expanding leave policy awareness across the organization.
3. Get Creative and Relatable with Your Leave Policy Assets
To further streamline access to leave benefits, incorporating an FAQ section along with essential documents provides another level of access to commonly-asked questions about unpaid leave, pregnancy leave, and FMLA leave eligibility. This helps employees find answers to their questions quickly, reducing the need for lengthy consultations.
In addition to relatable FAQs, providing educational visual aids like infographics and videos can simplify complex leave policies, breaking down the steps needed to apply for paid parental leave or navigating family medical leave. This makes it easier for employees to understand their rights and how to access their benefits.
Raising Awareness and Increasing Access in Your Workplace
Creating accessible maternity and parental leave policies is essential for fostering a supportive work environment where employees feel informed and valued. By following the best practices outlined above, employers can reduce stress, boost engagement, and enhance employee wellbeing.
If you’re ready to take the next step in optimizing your leave policies and boosting employee engagement, request a demo with WellRight today.
