Growth is the lifeblood of any organization. And while every organization seeks growth, achieving it is no small feat.
For HR leaders, this means anticipating challenges and crafting strategies that keep both operations and employees thriving. One area that’s proving to be a critical piece of the growth puzzle? Leave management. Once seen as a reactive administrative task, leave is now emerging as a strategic opportunity for companies aiming to scale effectively.
Organizations with their eyes on the horizon are rethinking their approach to leave, prioritizing scalable solutions and employee-first policies.
Tilt’s 2025 Leave Benchmark Report highlights hundreds of data points from HR leaders across the country and reveals how these efforts are helping businesses balance the dual demands of operational efficiency and employee experience.
The takeaway is clear: Leave management done well can be a game-changer for companies focused on sustainable growth.
Rethinking Leave Management as a Growth Strategy
Scaling a workforce comes with unique challenges, and leave management is often one of the trickiest to navigate. Companies experiencing rapid growth—those that need to expand quickly without losing sight of quality—are increasingly turning to vendor solutions to handle leave with greater precision and care.
By doing so, they’re not only easing operational burdens but also ensuring employees feel supported during significant life moments.
“One of the most remarkable statistics that continues to stick with me,” says Jen Henderson, Tilt CEO & Founder, “is that employees are 10 times more critical of their organization when they’re experiencing a life event.”
You don’t have to be in a phase of explosive growth to benefit from better leave management, of course. Any company looking to optimize its processes and improve employee experience can leverage scalable leave management.
The key lies in treating leave as more than just a box to check. When viewed strategically, it becomes a tool for fostering trust and retaining top talent.
Why Leave Management Impacts Retention and Performance
Leave represents a pivotal moment in the employee experience because it’s a unique moment in time when work and life intersect in profoundly complicated ways.
A high-performing employee might be in the middle of an extremely stressful season at work when tragedy strikes their family. It’s human nature for them to have expectations for how their employer will show up for them.
The report data shows that the way in which companies handle these foundational moments has a lasting impact on two critical areas:
- Retention: Employees are more likely to stay with companies that prioritize their well-being, including during leave. A proactive approach—such as clear leave plans, effective workforce planning in their absence, and payroll confidence—builds loyalty and reduces turnover costs, which can quietly (and sometimes not-so-quietly) drain resources and momentum.
2. Performance: The way employees re-enter the workplace after leave affects how quickly they can contribute effectively. A seamless, supportive process ensures they return feeling valued and ready to perform at their best.
By focusing on better leave practices, businesses can create an environment where employees feel genuinely cared for, which in turn drives better outcomes for your organization.
Making Leave Part of Your Growth Playbook
The connection between leave and growth might not seem obvious at first glance, but the data is undeniable: companies that treat leave management as a foundational and strategic initiative are better positioned to retain top talent, enhance productivity, and scale sustainably.
“What’s interesting to watch in tandem with leveraging leave software is the organizational growth that follows,” adds Jen. “Our research shows, and it should be no surprise, that as you create better leave programs in a way that is equal for all employees and is easy to understand, it pays off. It pays off big time.”
Whether your organization is navigating steady progress or managing rapid expansion, a proactive and strategic approach to leave can provide a significant competitive advantage.
Tilt makes leave a scalable solution by transforming a traditionally cumbersome process into one that supports both organizational growth and employee well-being.
By streamlining and automating the leave management process, Tilt helps businesses grow without overburdening HR teams, empowering them to focus on impactful initiatives instead of manual administrative tasks. At the same time, employees receive the support they need during critical moments in their lives, building trust and fostering a positive workplace culture.
Download Tilt’s 2025 Leave Benchmark Report for actionable insights to help you unlock the potential of leave management and be a champion for your organization’s growth.
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.
