Cocoon

It might be cold out, but we think J’s story of compassion and action will warm your heart 💖 As J and her husband battled cancer at the same time, she turned her own leave challenges into a mission to make leave better for everyone. J’s story will inspire you and remind you to follow your joy year-round: https://hubs.la/Q030f19z0

2024 Cocoon product releases, wrapped 🎁 We’re grateful to all of the Cocoon community for your feedback, requests, and ultimately, for helping make our product better. Let’s take a look at some of the things we achieved together in 2024 ↓ (Catch up on everything here: https://hubs.la/Q02_-fQK0)

Before we close our laptops for our company-wide winter recharge week (something we highly recommend if you can swing it), Team Cocoon is still full steam ahead working to release more functionality that helps People teams manage leave a little more smoothly. This month, we’re excited to share what we’ve built along the themes of customization, seamless access across multiple Cocoon accounts, and more, including: 1️⃣ Customizable settings for company holidays 2️⃣ An easier way to switch between Cocoon accounts 3️⃣ Reminders for employees to verify benefits payment ...and more. Read the article to learn more about what's new in Cocoon this month ↓ https://hubs.la/Q02_YDyg0

Results from our recent survey of over 1,400 employees across the US show that #PaidLeavePaysOff. Here are the main takeaways: 1. Paid leave is a must-have. 60% of respondents said lack of a competitive paid leave package would be a deal breaker when considering a new job. 2. Paid leave outranks most other benefits. Potential job seekers ranked a competitive paid leave package as their #2 priority (a hair more important than even a competitive salary), with 100% covered health insurance being #1. 3. Paid leave impacts retention. 56% say a poor leave package was a reason they left their job, while 70% say a generous paid leave package would make them stay. Get more insights at the link in the first comment ↓

It’s beginning to look a lot like…there are only a few working days left in the year 😵💫 You probably have a lot left on your to-do list as we sprint to the 2024 finish line. We can’t help with finding gifts for your impossible-to-please family members, but if you’re thinking about how to manage employee leave in-house in 2025 (or if you really like the Muppets), this month’s newsletter is for you. Read our tips for People teams, and unwrap our special present for you (it’s an employee leave tracking template) 🎁

Survey says: Paid leave pays off 🏅 Earlier this year, we surveyed over 1,000 employees nationwide, uncovering key insights into the impact of paid leave policies. Our data highlights a critical truth for today's employers: supporting employees through some of life's biggest moments isn't just the right thing to do—it's a strategic imperative. Big thanks to Adam DeRose and HR Brew for amplifying our findings and showcasing why paid leave is more important than ever. Check out the full story here: https://hubs.la/Q02_c9Cc0 #PaidLeave #WorkplaceCulture #EmployeeWellbeing #HRInsights

Frankly speaking, complying with FMLA is *even more* challenging than it may seem at first glance. If you're ready to explore software that automates the most complex parts—get in touch.

Whether you manage employee leaves internally with spreadsheets, outsource them to a third-party, or use a software tool, the most important thing is to make sure your system works for both People teams *and* leave-takers. We think the best approach automates the tough stuff—like pay calculations, compliance, and ever-changing leave laws—while still giving People teams and employees visibility and control (which is a little biased, given this is our approach 😉). We know, though, that not every team is ready to bring in a software solution, and that’s okay. That’s why we’ve created a dynamic leave tracking spreadsheet template for you, along with some of our best free tools and guides to ensure that no matter how you manage leaves, you’re doing the best you can: https://hubs.la/Q02--GnD0

Understanding leave options in the US is hard. Writing a clear (and compliant) leave policy so your employees understand how these options interact with your company policy is even harder. Hundreds of People leaders use our Paid leave policy generators to draft #Parental, #Medical, #Caregiver, and #Personal #Leave policies in seconds—you should too 🤠 https://hubs.la/Q02-B4gS0 Bonus resource in the thread: use our Leave planner to help employees visually explore their options.

An employee's leave experience begins the *moment* they tell their manager. Set your managers up for success with our Ultimate guide to supporting a teammate through leave—with checklists and templates to give your employees the experience they deserve before, during, and after their leave: https://hubs.la/Q02-hJPl0