Introducing Proxy Admin: Keep leave processes moving even if an employee can’t

Just like a good game of tennis, consistency, timing, and playing by the rules are key for a smooth and compliant leave process. But sometimes, the ball gets stuck in a leave taker’s court—putting themselves and your People team at risk of missing key deadlines that can affect things like pay and compliance. Without Cocoon, this can stop a leave dead in its tracks, as you keep trying to reach an unresponsive employee or their leave management rep. Luckily, Cocoon’s got you covered with our Proxy Admin role to lend a helping hand and keep the ball rolling without overstepping boundaries or taking on more work than necessary. Keep reading for scenarios where Proxy Admins come in handy, what they can do with Cocoon, and why it’s a win-win for you and a leave taker.

When does Proxy Admin power come in handy?

Proxy Admin power likely isn’t at the top of your list when evaluating leave management solutions, but when you need it, you really need it. It comes in handy across situations like:

1. Bigger life circumstances make getting input hard

It’s pretty common that leave plans change, emergencies happen, and/or an employee rightfully needs to focus their attention on the reason they took leave in the first place. Sometimes it happens in the planning process, or when they’re already out on leave. Regardless of when, you don’t have to be dependent on employees taking certain clear and undisputed actions—like extending leave dates—to ensure nothing gets off track, denied, or falls into non-compliance.

2. Good intentions without proper follow through

Navigating leave requirements can be complicated. Employees can forget to submit something, it isn’t complete, it’s not done in a timely manner, or they submitted something to the wrong channel. Whatever it is, Proxy Admins can successfully resolve these issues without defaulting to deficiency notices, while keeping a clear record of each action taken, by whom, and when.

3. Employees on-the-go, not tethered to their desktop

Cocoon caters to a wide array of employee types, whether they’re traveling a lot, working on job sites, or simply aren’t comfortable and familiar with certain software. With other solutions, the burden remains on the employee, but Proxy Admins can jump in to take care of certain tasks.

What Proxy Admins can do in Cocoon

Now that you have an idea of when you might need proxy power, here’s what you can do with it. The process is straightforward and consent-based; employees give consent upon creating a Cocoon account. With this consent, Proxy Admins can:

• Complete certain non-claims related employee tasks — Upload forms like fitness-for-duty, serious health condition, or proof of child.
• Create parental, medical, and caregiver leaves — Get a leave started for unforeseen leaves.
• Edit or extend leave dates — Jump in when an employee needs more time, moves to tracked intermittent leave, or hasn’t confirmed a return date.
• Cancel submitted leaves — If an employee initiates the leave process but then doesn’t need it or their plans change, you can cancel it so things don’t get left hanging without a resolution.
• View and leave a complete notes and actions log — Cocoon always keeps a complete record of who took which action and when, with the ability to log notes. E.g., on a phone call with an employee, you were able to clarify the leave return date. 
• Access helpful information from Cocoon — We’ll share helpful information that you can pass on to employees as needed so they don’t get overwhelmed across various sources.

The benefits of having Proxy power

With these scoped and specific abilities for Proxy Admins, you can achieve better leave experiences for all to step in when needed, without overstepping.

Unblock your team and leave takers faster. Paperwork didn’t get submitted? A simple task stands between approval or denial? These don’t have to be blockers anymore, nor do they have to mean extra work for People teams.

Provide a better employee experience. Most people aren’t walking into an emergency or caring for a newborn with a laptop nearby. Stepping up for an employee when they need you leads to a better employee experience to show you’re there for them and not bothering them with things you can do on their behalf. 

Focus your time on the details that matter. With a clear view into a leave taker’s deadlines, to-dos, and leave details, you can add a personal touch or jump in to help where it’s needed instead of wasting time playing telephone or time tracking down the wrong information. 

Always have a unified record. No matter what happens, there’s a clear record of who did what, when, and why. In the event of a dispute or compliance issue down the road, you have a clear track record of what happened.

The bottom line

Leave is a series of endless outliers and edge cases, and you need to be equipped with a solution that gives you and your employees the flexibility and fluidity to tackle them successfully, head-on. Proxy Admin power is just one more way to help you smooth the edges and step up for an employee when they need you most, with Cocoon there for you the whole way through.