End the Stigma Behind Leaves of Absence

Regardless of industry, employee’s age or years of experience, paid time off is an important factor in many prospective employees’ decisions to accept a job. Recently, workers have started focusing more on work-life balance and have started seeking companies that honor those needs. Therefore, it’s no surprise that paid time off benefits are one of the first things discussed, either during the interview or very quickly after extending a job offer.

Yet when the time comes to use some of that time off, you pause to consider the implications of taking time off. What projects are you working on? Who can cover for you while you’re out? Will you appear unreliable to your coworkers? What will your boss think?

And it gets more complicated if you are looking at taking time off for medical reasons. What are your legal rights? How much personal information do you share with your boss, your colleagues, HR and direct reports? Will taking medical time off hinder your career?

Well-Being, Mental Health and Parental Leave Stigma

The stigmas around a leave of absence add complexity to taking time off. And there seems to be a stigma that deeply and negatively impacts employees for virtually every leave type—from medical leave to parental leave.

Very often, concern about disapproval for time off or leaves of absence cause anxiety and may compel some workers to forego taking available leave, with some failing to seek treatment for medical problems, having less bonding time with children, or suffering from overwork and stress.

According to a study by Unum, 37% of new dads reported feeling there’s a stigma in their workplace around new parents taking time off. And although 62% of workers said their employer offers paid parental leave, 50% said they spent 30 days or fewer away from the workplace after the birth or adoption of a child.

Time off for mental health comes with its own stigma. A study from Aetna International showed that employees are twice as likely to take time off for a physical health issue than a mental health problem (66% versus 34%, respectively). When 1,000 U.K. and U.S. employees were asked about the state of mental and physical health in the workplace, more than one-third of respondents admitted to lying about taking a sick day to deal with stress and issues related to mental health. This points to a continued stigma around taking time off to address mental health.

Of those survey respondents who said they had lied:

• 1% lied because they were feeling stressed
• 6% lied because they were feeling down
• 3% lied because they weren’t feeling themselves
• 6% lied because they didn’t think their boss would understand

“As a third of employees feel the need to conceal mental illness, anxiety or stress-related reasons for taking a sick day, it’s clear that there is still a high degree of stigma around mental health in the workplace,” Dr. Hemal Desai, Global Medical Director at Aetna International, stated. “While some of this will be cultural, there’s clearly more that needs to be done to help line managers and employees navigate mental health at work.”

While mental health affects many employees in the U.K. and U.S., it looks as if many employees feel mental health is generally not seen as a ‘legitimate’ reason for taking a sick day.

End the Stigma of Taking Time Off

Taking time away from work offers well-documented benefits—lower stress, improved productivity, even reduced risk of heart disease. But despite increased employer focus on well-being, many employees still hesitate to use their time off due to lingering stigma and a disconnect between what’s offered and what’s actually supported.

According to Gallup’s 2024 survey, only 23% of Chief Human Resource Officers at large companies listed employee well-being as a top organizational priority. Meanwhile, just 21% of employees strongly agree that their employer cares about their overall well-being—a figure that has remained stagnant since its pandemic-era high. These numbers suggest that, despite more visible wellness programs, employees often don’t feel they’re encouraged or supported in using them.

The same holds true for Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), which are underutilized and often under-promoted. Gallup found that nearly a third of employees don’t even know if their company offers an EAP, and of those who do, 81% have never used the service.

This disconnect has a ripple effect on workplace culture. When employees feel their well-being isn’t genuinely supported, they’re less likely to use their time off—even when it’s needed. Many worry about appearing replaceable or unreliable, which not only harms individual health but also impacts morale and engagement across the organization.

To change that, employers need to go beyond offering benefits. They must actively create a culture where taking time off is normalized and encouraged. That starts with clear communication, training for managers, and integrating well-being into day-to-day conversations. When employees believe their well-being truly matters, they’re more engaged, more productive, and more likely to stay.

If you’re interested in learning about how your company can enhance its wellness and leave program initiatives, reach out to your Hylant representative Don’t have one? Contact us here.

The above information does not constitute advice. Always contact your employee benefits broker or trusted advisor for insurance-related questions.