January 27, 2026
The 2026 Employer Leave Strategy and Structure Survey examines how employers are evolving leave and time away programs as a core component of their workforce strategy. Findings highlight that employers value leave for its connection to health, well-being, attraction and retention, yet face persistent challenges related to compliance, administration, resources and the overall employee experience.
Purpose and background
This survey provides a snapshot of employer strategies across global and U.S. leave programs, including leave structures, paid leave types, holidays, perspectives on paid leave laws and emerging offerings. It is designed to inform HR, benefits and total rewards leaders as they refine governance, partner relationships and program design to support a consistent, positive leave experience.
Key findings
- Strategic role of leave: Most employers view leave as integral or an important consideration within their workforce strategy, recognizing its links to employee health, compliance and talent outcomes. However, fragmented policies and competing priorities make it difficult to deliver a consistently strong experience across populations and geographies.
- Challenges and pressure points: When asked about top challenges in managing leave, employers cite navigating a patchwork of state and local paid leave laws, ensuring a positive employee experience amid complex processes, and limited internal resources. These pressures are prompting closer attention to governance, simplification of employee touchpoints and coordination across internal teams and external partners.
- Measurement, partners and AI: Most employers actively evaluate their leave strategy and hold vendors accountable for a cost-effective, user-friendly experience, often through performance guarantees tied to satisfaction and operational metrics. Artificial intelligence is beginning to play a role in leave administration, particularly in personalizing navigation and support, even as many employers seek better visibility into how AI is used by partners.
- Policy landscape and program design: U.S. employers report that compliance and administrative demands heavily shape their approach to paid family and medical leave and express strong interest in more uniform standards. Multinational employers also grapple with aligning global strategies and local practices, while continuing to expand portfolios that include parental, bereavement, military, pregnancy loss, caregiving and emerging types of paid leave.
Recommendations and next steps
The survey suggests opportunities for employers to elevate the employee leave experience by simplifying processes, strengthening governance and deepening collaboration with vendors that support leave programs. Employers can also use the findings to guide decisions on expanding or refining leave offerings, leveraging data and AI-enabled tools, and aligning leave strategy with broader health, well-being and workforce priorities over the next three to five years.
Citations
Before referring to or using this survey report in any way, you must receive permission from Business Group on Health. Please contact [email protected].
Suggested citations for this survey report:
Business Group on Health. 2026 Employer Leave Strategy and Structure Survey. January 2026. Available at: https://www.businessgrouphealth.org/2026-employer-leave-strategy-and-structure-survey.
More Topics
Resource
Leave & Flexibility
Caregiving
Culture & Strategy