The Day-to-Day Drain of Disconnected Leave Tools
On paper (or in that Excel file you’ve been nursing since 2019), things might seem organized. But in reality, fragmented tools wreak havoc on HR operations.
Raise your hand if you’ve ever had this inner dialogue…“Is the employee actually starting leave when they told me they would? And where did I jot that note down? Is it on the sticky note that’s on my screen in front of me? Is it on my phone somewhere? An email thread?”
Sound familiar? You’re not alone. Also, you can put your hand down.
- When leave management is decentralized, every update becomes a potential point of failure:
- A changed surgery date means editing three calendars and sending four emails.
- A miscalculated return date means adjusting payroll (again) and explaining the mistake (again).
- A manager never got the update because the HR partner forgot to CC them.
“Those leave dates have changed. And so now you have to go across multiple different systems to be supporting that,” explains Brad Hyland, Director of Leave and Customer Success at Tilt.
Even if you’re used to the chaos, you shouldn’t have to normalize it. Because it’s not just inefficient, it’s risky.
Leave of Absence Errors, Exposure, and Employee Frustration
Let’s talk about spreadsheets for a minute.
Yes, they’re convenient. But they’re also a digital ticking time bomb.
Spreadsheets are particularly vulnerable, as one simple mistake can create a domino effect, turning your HR report into chaos! Surprisingly, a study by The Hackett Group found that a whopping 88% of spreadsheets have errors. These errors can result in unreliable reports, flawed insights, and harmful decision-making.
Spreadsheets offer minimal protection for your data, leaving it susceptible to cyber-attacks, breaches, and other security threats.
Let’s not forget the human side either. If an employee is told they’re eligible for X weeks of leave but a spreadsheet typo only shows they are eligible for Y, that’s not just a misstep, it’s a trust-breaker and can have serious negative consequences for the employee.
“Maybe your formula is off in your tracking sheet, and you didn’t put 12 weeks, but you put 11 weeks in instead,” adds Brad. “If employees have been informed of incorrect information about the amount of time that they’re eligible for that can be a poor experience for the employee.”
Now layer in compliance. Leave laws change, life events don’t follow schedules, and one slip in documentation or data sharing can create HIPAA violations or legal exposure.
“That can lead into some additional pieces around HIPAA,” Brad continues. “Maybe a manager shouldn’t have access to some of that content, and maybe it was shared out to too many people.”
The stakes are too high, and the legacy tools too flimsy, for HR teams to confidently manage leave this way.
You Can’t Be Confident in Leave Management If You’re Always Second-Guessing
Let’s call it what it is: Fragmented systems create uncertainty.
When leave details are spread across emails, spreadsheets, chat threads, and mental notes on sticky pads, it’s no wonder HR professionals spend up to 20 hours managing a single leave. And yet, after all that time and effort, many are still left asking:
- “Did I miss something?”
- “Did payroll get the update?”
- “Was that return date revised… and where did I put it?”
- “Is this even compliant?”
These questions aren’t hypothetical. They’re real-time stressors that stem from a lack of integration and clarity. The result? Second-guessing every step of your process, double- and triple-checking your work, and constantly firefighting instead of confidently leading.
True confidence in leave management comes from two critical ingredients:
- Knowing the process is accurate and compliant.
Put an end to hoping your spreadsheet formula calculated the right eligibility or guessing if a new leave law applies. Have a system in place that does the heavy lifting for you and reduces the risk of errors that can snowball into lawsuits or employee dissatisfaction. - Having visibility into the process without micromanaging it.
Confidence doesn’t mean giving up control—it means having a clear, accurate window into what’s happening without chasing updates. “We want to make sure that HR has a hand in that process, “says Brad about Tilt. “They can go in and see real-time updates and the different types of documentation that have been provided.”
Without both of these elements, you’re left patching holes in a system that should be supporting you. Confidence isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. And with modern leave management tools, it’s finally within reach.
Confidence Starts with Connected Tools—Like Tilt
You don’t have to live in leave chaos anymore.
Tilt is a modern, integrated leave management solution built to end the era of disconnected tools, scattered data, and second-guessing. From real-time visibility to automated updates, from compliance guidance to employee support, Tilt streamlines the entire leave experience.
According to a study by The Workforce Institute, 73% of HR professionals believe that automation enhances data accuracy.
And that’s exactly what Tilt delivers. No more manual calculations. No more spreadsheet gymnastics. No more misinformed employees or out-of-the-loop managers. Just streamlined, secure, and supported leave management that puts HR back in the driver’s seat. “We are an extension of the HR team directly, and we partner with them closely,” Brad shares.
HR deserves a world where they can stop chasing updates, questioning data, and holding their breath every time someone asks, “Are we sure this is right?”
It’s time for a change.
Because HR deserves leave clarity. HR deserves leave confidence. HR deserves a better way to manage leave.
Tilt is leading the charge in all things leave of absence management through easy-to-use tech and human touch. Since 2017, our proprietary platform and Empathy Warriors have been helping customers make leave not suck by eliminating administrative burdens, keeping companies compliant, and providing a truly positive and supportive leave of absence experience for their people.
