Turnover aside, there are other impacts to your business that merit a stronger focus on a smooth transition back into the workplace for employees taking a leave.

Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why empathetic leave support, from start to finish, matters to your business:

Boosted Morale and Productivity: Providing a soft, supported landing during an employee’s return period can positively impact the employee’s morale and the morale of the organization (more on that below). Similarly, by easing the transition back to work, employees are more likely to quickly re-engage with their tasks and responsibilities, leading to increased productivity.

Unsurprisingly, research shows that when morale is low, productivity is low, which can have a direct negative impact on profit.

Knowledge Retention: Facilitating a smooth return allows the employee to quickly catch up on any changes or developments in their absence, reducing the risk of knowledge gaps or disruptions in workflows.

Along those same lines, it’s a lot easier to retain knowledge within your organization if your employees aren’t looking for the exit because their leave of absence reintegration was an afterthought.

Flexibility and Enhanced Well-being: Organizations that provide a soft landing demonstrate flexibility and adaptability, crucial qualities in today’s dynamic business environment. Demonstrating that you care for your employees by offering flexible schedules can help address potential stress or anxiety your employees may be feeling around returning to work.

Positive Company Culture: A company that values and supports its employees during challenging times fosters a positive and caring culture, which can attract and retain top talent. 

Here’s what Alyssa had to say about her company after a supported return to work:

I’m grateful to be a part of an organization that supported my return by preparing me with what to expect during the first few days and weeks and gave me the flexibility to figure out my new routine. My wonderful colleagues welcomed me back and helped me get back up to speed so I could confidently re-engage with my clients.

Positive Employer Branding: Demonstrating a commitment to employee well-being and work-life balance contributes to positive employer branding, making your organization more attractive to potential hires. Would Alyssa have written those glowing words about her organization if she hadn’t been shown so much love?

Cost Savings: While everything listed above gives us warm and fuzzy feelings, at the end of the day it’s a financial boon as well. By giving attention to an employee returning to work your organization can avoid the costs associated with turnover such as recruiting, hiring, and training new employees.

Employers expect a lot from their employees to meet a variety of business needs. Long hours, pressure-filled situations, and meeting the (sometimes unreasonable) demands of clients can all take a toll on any employee’s psyche. And while that can be chalked up to the nature of most jobs, when the roles are reversed and the employee is counting on their employer to come through when they need support, employers can’t afford to miss the mark.

A haphazard approach to leaves of absence sends a signal to employees that their employer may expect them to go above and beyond to sacrifice for the organization, but that this courtesy is a one-way street. 

Prioritizing leaves of absence by making the process easy to understand and the journey empathetically supported demonstrates that you view your employees first and foremost as human beings who go through human experiences.

If leaves of absence are viewed as an afterthought in an organization, it shouldn’t be surprising that employees will view their employer as an afterthought and either return unengaged or not return at all.