Sabbatical : Why More Companies Need to Embrace Rest
According to the Society of Human Resource Management, only 4 percent of U.S. companies offer a paid sabbatical program and only 16 percent offer an unpaid sabbatical program!
As you read this latest post, I am taking just that…a sabbatical. Believe it or not, I wrestled with even saying that for quite some time given the confusion around sabbaticals and even the stigma of taking a sabbatical in the private sector. So many people often wonder if a person simply has burned out and the very notion of a sabbatical is simply them taking a “mental health holiday” in order to cope with work and life.
Yet it is a growing perk for employees in many circles and it has its definite positives (albeit slow growth). But for me, the idea of a sabbatical has been one I have wrestled with for years…mainly because it feels super foreign in the private sector but it also is not well defined in a way that makes sense for teams. Is it something only reserved for senior leadership? For “the boss”? Or, is it something extended throughout an organization? How does this differ from vacation? What is the purpose and how do you manage this? What about the different seasons of someone’s life and that impact on this benefit (i.e. I have 4 kids in school so taking a sabbatical during school season is a non-starter)?
So lots to think thru, but what I did know was that I wanted to better understand the rhythms of work (the seasonality of work in my industry that might make something possible), as well as the fact that my kids are young and I will never get this time back. I also know firsthand the value of refocusing time related to work in order to not get lost in the tactical efforts of the everyday tasks. What I mean by this is what Patrick Lencioni defines as the difference between strategic and tactical work (or better still…working “on” versus working “in” the tasks of projects and the business)…stepping back to really leap forward, and creating space to do that. Now, some industries have figured this out (i.e. academia and church work…but also, some larger corporations have “sabbatical-like” periods of transition between major jobs and job locations. I remember the permanent change of station [PCS] in the military that occurred every couple of years and allows military personnel an extended time of transition to reboot and refocus). But, as the statistic demonstrates, this is still very much a relatively unknown area.
At Access Ventures, we have unlimited PTO (with a minimum time off requirement and corporate rest) so it’s not a question of taking time off. But the idea of a sabbatical is the conscious decision to allow people time to really step back and to focus in other areas or on themselves. Where you see sabbatical policies, it is normally a thing that is blanket and time-bound for retention (i.e. 3 months of time after 5 years or 7 years of employment). These policies are GREAT…but, what about first starting with WHY and then building a plan that works for the company, the team, and the person? What if the principle was one of rest and refocus and the plan for how that looked was mutually determined? For example, for me (and what I have realized in the industries I work) the summertime lull is real. And so, instead of a longer sabbatical, what if the rhythm was more frequent but less time? This works with my family schedule and planning (i.e. school) but also fits the flow of work. In fact, so many of my peers take extended, ‘European-style” holidays later in the summer…so, perhaps that is a natural rhythm that we should mirror? Rather than being prescriptive (and creating a benefit that doesn’t really satisfy), why not start with the why, and build backwards?
With any endeavor like this, however, it is important to plan, and to also keep in mind that there are different types of sabbaticals - i.e. rest sabbaticals, learning sabbaticals, health sabbaticals. How might they each be defined and structured differently? For example could a team member take a sabbatical to take some additional education or write a book or go on an experience? how might those be treated differently? With all of this, it takes coordination, conversation, and planning.
We’ll see what this means for me over the summer…but for now, this means I will be taking a pause on the journal, and focusing on my family and the future direction of AV. I hope it brings the clarity I am seeking and the rest I know my heart and mind need to be the leader and friend my family and team deserve. Until July…here are some tips you might find useful as you think about this for yourself and your team.
Happy planning!
Pros of employee sabbaticals
Employees return rejuvenated. Clearly time away and time to rest is a good thing and the resulting impact is a rejuvenated person that returns.
Employees learn a new way to grow the business. Believe it or not…their minds keep working and the time away allows them to focus in areas of their role and areas of the business they simply do not have the mental capacity to attend to while present in the office.
Younger employees can show their abilities by stepping up. When someone is on a sabbatical everyone needs to step up. This is a great opportunity for junior team members to shine and everyone generally is keen to make this time possible.
Companies can demonstrate they care about personal goals. Full stop. What communicates care more to an associate than giving extended time to rest? Nothing beats this outcome!
Employees may stay longer. What a retention tool if people know they will get these extended times to rest and explore?
Cons of employee sabbaticals
Cost and administrative difficulties are the most obvious negatives to offering sabbaticals. Other downsides might include:
Emotional disconnect from the company, depending on the employee and duration
Decreased productivity as work shifts to employees covering for those on sabbatical
Administrative challenges with health coverage and other benefits (for longer sabbaticals)
Resentment among employees doing extra work to cover for employees on sabbatical
Temptation among employees on sabbatical to not return to their jobs (unless program eligibility is contingent on their return)
Yet…time and again, with the right perspective, good communication, and clarity around the policy…these cons can be mitigated and everyone on the team excited to step up and make this possible for one another…for example, when Clif Bar asked its employees what perks they valued, sabbaticals ranked at the top, and partially as a result of offering time off to 7-year employees, the company has less than 3 percent turnover, according to Huffington Post.