What 400+ employers reveal about the future of leave
October 28, 2026
The leave management landscape is in transition. In recent years, leave has expanded across multiple business functions and systems, but the people, processes and data involved are often fragmented.
As leave becomes more interconnected with broader workforce strategies, employers are recognizing the value of creating more seamless, connected experiences.
The 2026 Unum Market View Report explores this shift through a survey of more than 400 professionals involved in employee benefits administration at U.S.-based organizations.
Amid rising medical premiums, growing complexity and changing expectations, the future of leave will depend on how effectively organizations can align their leave programs while maintaining a focus on the employee experience.
Here’s a look at the coordination challenges many employers face and how stronger connections across data, processes and human expertise can improve the leave experience.
Leave complexity is driving a need for greater coordination
As leave management has grown more complex, so too has the related workload. According to the employers surveyed, leave and absence management is the most challenging area of benefits administration.1 Handling leave and accommodation requests was also identified as one of the most time-consuming tasks for HR teams.1
However, workload is only part of the challenge. Employers are looking for stronger connections among the benefits, people and information involved in a leave event:
However, workload is only part of the challenge. Employers are looking for stronger connections among the benefits, people and information involved in a leave event:
- 35% want better coordination between benefits and leave
- 32% want stronger employee support and communication
- 31% cite a lack of real-time, connected data
These insights suggest that adding another isolated process or tool may not be enough. A connected leave experience requires reliable information, clear ownership and consistent support for employees.
Strengthen coordination across leave
To understand where your leave approach may need stronger alignment:
- Map how policies, responsibilities and information move between HR, benefits, payroll and other teams
- Review handoffs for manual work, duplicate entry or unclear ownership
- Confirm that eligibility, documentation, pay and job-protection rules work together
- Review employee and manager communications for clear, consistent guidance before, during and after leave
Employers are rethinking how leave gets managed
As employers recognize that the challenge extends beyond workload, many are reassessing whether their current mix of internal resources, technology and specialized support can provide the coordination they need.
Currently, four in five employers manage leave at least partially in-house.² Among that group, 70% say they prefer this approach to maintain control and 31% identify the cost of outsourcing as a consideration.2
At the same time, the market is showing signs of change. Among employers that do not currently outsource leave management, 68% say they are very or somewhat likely to consider doing so within the next 12 to 24 months.2
Their reasoning extends beyond technology. Employers cite reducing HR’s administrative burden, improving cost efficiency and supporting employees through complex situations as the leading reasons they would consider outsourcing leave management.1
There is no single model for every organization. Some employers are strengthening internal capabilities, some are turning to outside partners and others are combining both approaches. The common goal is a more coordinated leave experience.
Currently, four in five employers manage leave at least partially in-house.² Among that group, 70% say they prefer this approach to maintain control and 31% identify the cost of outsourcing as a consideration.2
At the same time, the market is showing signs of change. Among employers that do not currently outsource leave management, 68% say they are very or somewhat likely to consider doing so within the next 12 to 24 months.2
Their reasoning extends beyond technology. Employers cite reducing HR’s administrative burden, improving cost efficiency and supporting employees through complex situations as the leading reasons they would consider outsourcing leave management.1
There is no single model for every organization. Some employers are strengthening internal capabilities, some are turning to outside partners and others are combining both approaches. The common goal is a more coordinated leave experience.
Identify where outside support could help your team
To evaluate whether outsourcing specific functions could strengthen your leave approach:
- Identify the responsibilities HR should continue to own and where internal capacity or specialized expertise may be limited
- Define the employer and employee outcomes an outside partner would need to improve
- Compare potential partners across compliance expertise, employee experience, HR tools, technology, reporting and support services
- Consider implementation needs, ongoing HR responsibilities and the provider’s track record and results
Connected data is becoming an HR priority
Connecting leave data is a growing HR priority as technology environments become more complex.
Integration across HR systems and investment in new HR technology were each named a leading priority by 38% of employers.¹ In addition, nearly one-third identified a lack of real-time, connected data as an unresolved benefits and leave challenge.1
Employers see several practical benefits in addressing these gaps:
- Faster claims processing (43%)
- Improved compliance (43%)
- Better tracking and reporting (43%)
- More effective enrollment (37%)
- Less manual work (35%)
Accordingly, 95% of employers plan to increase investment in data integration, automation or artificial intelligence over the next one to two years. That includes 42% planning additional investment in leave and absence.1
Technology alone, however, is not the goal. The value comes from improving the flow of information, reducing repetitive work and giving HR teams greater confidence that they are leveraging consistent data.
Focus technology on outcomes
Start with the operational or employee need the technology should address:
- Define measurable goals, such as less manual work, fewer corrections or a simpler employee experience
- Evaluate how the solution connects leave information with relevant HR, benefits and payroll systems
- Assess whether employees can easily plan, request and manage leave and find the information they need
- Confirm that the solution supports HR visibility, reporting and compliance needs at your organization
Technology can't replace human support
While technology provides a seamless experience behind the scenes, employees still value being able to speak with another human if they have questions during their leave experience.
Employers recognize that distinction. Nearly two-thirds say the quality of the employee support experience differentiates a high-performing leave management solution.1
Specialized expertise also carries significant value. Nine in ten employers say having carrier leave specialists who understand their organization and workforce is, or would be, extremely or very valuable.1Employers with access to those specialists associate personalized support with improved employee satisfaction, stronger return-to-work success and reduced administrative burden for HR.1
These findings show that technology and human expertise are complementary, not competing, priorities. A connected leave strategy requires both.
Prioritize clear guidance and support
Use technology to simplify predictable activities while making informed help easy to find when employees or managers have questions:
- Clearly communicate where employees and managers can find information and direct questions
- Give employees clear guidance about eligibility, required information, next steps and return-to-work expectations
- Confirm that support teams have access to timely, consistent information
- Evaluate potential partners based on employee support, HR support and the expertise of the people providing that help
What a more connected leave experience looks like
The strongest leave programs connect systems, processes and human expertise. As responsibilities expand and fragmented systems multiply, employers are responding by pursuing stronger data connections, more coordinated processes and greater access to specialized support.
This creates an opportunity to build a leave program in which information moves reliably, HR teams have greater visibility and employees can access informed support throughout the leave journey.
Organizations that begin by identifying their most consequential gaps can build a leave program designed for the complexity of today’s leave landscape.
This creates an opportunity to build a leave program in which information moves reliably, HR teams have greater visibility and employees can access informed support throughout the leave journey.
Organizations that begin by identifying their most consequential gaps can build a leave program designed for the complexity of today’s leave landscape.
Explore the forces reshaping leave management
Read the full 2026 Unum Market View Report to see how employers are responding to growing complexity and evolving expectations for employee support.
1 Unum, 2026 Market View Report.
2 Unum, 2026 Q2 Employer Insights Survey.
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