Experts suggest that to prevent burnout, broaden their experiences, and enhance their work-life balance, employees are increasingly selecting companies that provide sabbaticals.
Exclusive research from the Chartered Management Institute shows that 53% of managers stated their company offered sabbatical leave, while 29% indicated it did not. Managers in the public and nonprofit sectors were more likely than private sector managers to report that sabbatical leave was available (62% vs 44%).
Benefits of Sabbaticals for Both Employers and Employees
According to Anthony Painter, the director of policy at the Chartered Management Institute, sabbaticals were well-liked by both employers and employees since they provided benefits for both.
Companies are doubling their efforts to boost staff retention in today’s competitive job market, he stated. They can find the ideal balance between improving employee well-being and employer-beneficial upskilling. Although it has changed recently, the relationship between an employer and employee is still not one of zero-sum.
Additionally, the poll revealed that managers under the age of fifty-five had a higher likelihood of believing that companies must provide sabbatical leave (80% as opposed to 72%).
The primary motivation for providing sabbatical leave, according to two-fifths of the managers, was to enhance employee mental health and well-being; 36% wished to foster a more flexible work environment and boost talent retention (31%).
Sabbaticals are becoming more and more common, as shown by recent data published in the Harvard Business Review. Adecco, the largest HR firm in the world, named sabbaticals among the top five workplace trends.
Changing Perspectives on Work and the Role of Sabbaticals
The London School of Economics’ Shasa Dobrow, an associate professor of management, stated that there have been “big shifts in how we understand work and where it fits in our lives” in recent years. Because of this, workers are now more likely to prioritize “what is meaningful to them”—that is, the organization’s principles and the workplace culture—instead of their pay.
“Companies that provide appealing sabbatical options will be signaling to current and potential employees that they value their well-being and access to significant opportunities for professional growth,” she stated.
Employers find sabbaticals appealing because they increase employee happiness and lower turnover. According to her research, people’s job satisfaction tended to decline as they advanced in their careers. It increased when they started working for a new company after changing careers, but it soon fell back.
“It’s interesting to note that sabbaticals and other similar practices can be used to replicate this effect without really altering organizations or positions. We believe that people’s job satisfaction can increase because of the novelty and change that comes with things like sabbaticals,” she stated.
Since their introduction in 1952 to enhance employee retention and well-being, sabbaticals have been used at County Hospital Louth, according to Alan Greef, the NHS theatre service manager. However, he acknowledged that sabbaticals were becoming increasingly popular.
It was generally the case that they worked for Mercy Ships or Doctors Without Borders, he said, with senior personnel needing five years of service and lower staff needing roughly one. A coworker gave anesthetics to the people in the Falklands for three months each year without receiving pay.
Industry Adoption and Impact of Sabbaticals
HR consultant Al Mayeeda Kinnory stated that, in her experience, between 15 and 25% of workers utilized sabbatical leave when it was provided; however, this varied depending on the business culture and industry, with adoption rates being higher in forward-thinking fields like technology or the arts.
The companies she provides consulting services to often grant their employees three to six months of leave following five to ten years of continuous employment. This can vary depending on the reason for the leave, such as community service or upskilling, and can be fully or partially paid in some situations.
HR tactics, according to her, are becoming more focused on creating a “supportive and progressive workplace culture that values and prioritizes employee wellbeing and work-life balance.” She claimed that workers frequently returned with “renewed energy and a fresh perspective which also helps to revitalize the mood for further work.”
In order to recuperate from stress, travel, and do charity work, Kinnory also seized the chance for a sabbatical at her former workplace, taking two months off with some pay.
She continued, saying, “I was more committed to staying and focusing on my career path knowing that the organization respected my welfare and supported my personal and professional growth. If I were to consider new employment opportunities, the presence of a sabbatical offer would be a crucial factor.”
(Tashia Bernardus)