The transformative shifts shaping your 2025
What the future holds for employee benefits, leave and HR
December 16, 2024
From generational shifts in the workforce to evolving state paid leave regulations, the year was packed with pivotal moments sure to shape the future. With emerging trends like telecommuting requests, new disability reasons and combating HR burnout, we’ve compiled the top challenges and insights of the year to help you build a better 2025.
+218%
telecommuting requests have been surging since 2020 and are still on the rise, signaling more ADA accommodations for remote work1
June 2024
the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act was finalized, marking a new era of care for workers during all stages of their pregnancy journey
5G workforce
for the first time ever, employers navigated the largest multi-generational workforce2
Top 4
reasons for disability claims were musculoskeletal and injury at #1 followed by pregnancy and behavioral health1
71 days
was the average duration employees took to care for their mental and emotional wellbeing throughout 20241
13 states
now have paid family and medical leave programs, marking a breakthrough in family leave across the nation
The overnight game changer
The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act – June 18, 2024
The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) dropped its final decisions in June, creating a new era for working women.
From fertility treatments to postpartum care, the PWFA supports working mothers with more than just maternity accommodations; it also addresses a wide range of conditions associated with pregnancy, childbirth and pregnancy-related medical issues.
Under this act, employers are required to make the workplace more motherhood-friendly by providing designated lactation spaces, modifying job duties and offering greater flexibility with breaks, among other provisions.
2,500 of you joined us in September as we delivered all the details on PWFA in our webinar: Bump up the basics.
Generations on the move: 2024 employee shifts
The 5G workforce
Many workplaces have employees spanning five generations, from the Silent Generation, who are still working2, to the newest kids
on the block: Gen Z. Employers must navigate both age-based and generational diversity on a major scale for the first time.
Goodbye avocado toast, hello life insurance
Financial concerns are on the rise for the younger generations with Millennials expressing the highest overall level of financial concerns3 and with the oldest Z’s approaching 30, marriage and children are now big realities. Both generations expressed the need for more life insurance in 2024.
Hot take: bundled is best
When it comes to selecting benefits 3 in 10 workers4 say they would like “bundles of benefits” with younger generations saying they’d prefer "bundled offerings" over any other option.
2025 vision: Trends to watch
Findings on the new realities facing employees
- Musculoskeletal claims
Became the #1 driver of disability in 2024 with 29% of claims being for muscle, back and joint related reasons1 - ADA accommodations
Telecommuting continued to trend upwards in 2024, topping the list as the most requested accommodation with an overall 218% increase since 20201 - Behavioral health claims
Durations extended from 61 to 71 days and became a top 5 disability reason for the first time1 - Family care leave
Employees took an average of 7 days per leave to tend to family members1 - Adoption and bonding leave
Submissions surged by 11% from 2023 to 20241
Competitive insights for leading employers to keep their edge
- Enhancing data integration
93% of employers agree integrating HR and benefits data is important to their success5 - Maximizing benefits value
8 in 10 employers agree that benefits are important to key measures of the employee experience6 - Mastering leave management
72% of employers report their leave management overall is somewhat, very or extremely challenging7 - Confronting rising absences
42% of large employers saw an increase in leaves taken while employers of all sizes saw a 36% increase in employee leaves over the previous year7 - Boosting the experience
59% of employers say the goal for their leave program is to keep employees happy and engaged7
The biggest conversation starter
Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) programs
State-mandated leave programs used to be relevant to only a select few employers in a handful of states, but a post-pandemic world and an increase in remote workers have brought significant changes to the leave landscape. Six new states joined the PFML lineup in 2024: Delaware, Maine, Maryland and Minnesota. Currently, 19 brand new states8 are talking about proposing or reproposing PFML legislation making this more than just a trend but a permanent trajectory for many.
Navigating these complex laws can be daunting, but Unum leave experts made it manageable throughout 2024. From quick-hit videos, articles and state-by-state webinars, we provided insights and broke down the details, ensuring you had what you needed to stay informed and compliant.
Stay in the loop year-round with leave resources on HR Trends.
You couldn't stop…
Exploring the year’s key topics in articles and filling seats at the most buzzed-about webinars of 2024.
Your year delivered, differently
At Unum, helping the working world thrive through life’s moments goes beyond benefits and technology — it’s about leadership in leave management and empowering employers to make informed decisions that drive business forward.
At the end of the day, Unum takes better care of you and your employees. Our modern benefits combined with innovative solutions for leave and employee care are all seamlessly integrated into key HR platforms and delivered with simple experiences that solve some of HR’s biggest headaches and hurdles while building a more supportive workplace environment for everyone.
That’s our commitment to helping the working world thrive.
Ready to make a difference when it matters most?
We’re here to chat and help you navigate the best benefits and HR tech solutions for your team.
1 Unum internal data, 2024.
2 U.S. Department of Labor, Changes in the Generational Composition of the Labor Force, 2024.
3 LIMRA, 2024 Insurance Barometer Study, 2024.
4 LIMRA, 2024 Benefits and Employee Attitude Tracker (BEAT), 2024.
5 Unum Market View, HR technology and benefits data integration, 2024.
6 Unum Market View, The employee benefits experience, 2024.
7 Unum Insights Report, Leave and absences management, 2024.
8 The Standard, Status Paid Family Leave Laws each state, 2024.
2 U.S. Department of Labor, Changes in the Generational Composition of the Labor Force, 2024.
3 LIMRA, 2024 Insurance Barometer Study, 2024.
4 LIMRA, 2024 Benefits and Employee Attitude Tracker (BEAT), 2024.
5 Unum Market View, HR technology and benefits data integration, 2024.
6 Unum Market View, The employee benefits experience, 2024.
7 Unum Insights Report, Leave and absences management, 2024.
8 The Standard, Status Paid Family Leave Laws each state, 2024.