What is Sabbatical Leave? It’s the best kept secret in HR

Unlock the power of sabbatical leave to boost employee motivation and retention in a stagnating labor market. Learn how a planned break can give your company a competitive edge in attracting top talent.

By Brad Nakase, Attorney

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Have a quick question? We answered nearly 2000 FAQs.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. What is a sabbatical, exactly?

3. What is the process for sabbatical leave?

4. Do workers get paid when they take a sabbatical?

5. How does a sabbatical differ from a vacation?

6. Ten advantages of sabbaticals for workers

7. Establishing a policy for sabbatical leave

8. What things should be covered by the policy?

9. Examples of businesses that provide sabbatical leaves

10. Guidelines for getting ready for a worker’s sabbatical

11. Concluding remarks

Introduction

Absence from work has several advantages. Given that over fifty percent of the labor force is in a position of stagnation and that number is expected to rise, companies must find innovative ways to motivate employees to continue working. It turns out that increasing retention may be best achieved by letting them go—at least temporarily.

According to a 2018 research by the SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management), 15% of businesses provided sabbaticals to their staff. That quantity is increasing. Learn more about sabbatical leaves, including what they are, why they’re the best benefit you’re not providing, and how they can provide you an advantage over competitors in the talent war.

What is a sabbatical, exactly?

Originally intended to provide professors with some time off from teaching, sabbatical years have been extended to individuals in other professions. Professors were granted a year’s sabbatical every 7 years to undertake research or simply take time off.

The practice didn’t extend to other professions for more than 150 years. In 2018, only 5% of businesses provided paid sabbatical time.

An extended leave of absence from work is called a sabbatical. Employees may continue to receive compensation during this period of employment. This time may be used by the employee however they see fit, including rest, writing, inner work, or acquiring new skills.

During this period, the worker is exempt from doing the duties of their regular position. Giving this leave, however, can have a huge positive impact on office productivity even when they’re not operating.

What is the process for sabbatical leave?

A sabbatical is typically extended to staff members following a predetermined period of employment. Although it’s not legally required to have a minimum period of service, it’s often at least five years.

Furthermore, there is no set minimum duration of a sabbatical. There are some things to bear in mind while on sabbatical since it’s not a holiday. These could be things you don’t normally have to worry about during shorter breaks, such as fulfilling duties, grooming substitutes, or additional duties. Sabbaticals are typically a minimum of 4 weeks long and up to a year long in order to maximize the benefits of this kind of leave.

Do workers get paid when they take a sabbatical?

Although it’s not necessary, employees are typically compensated for time off during sabbaticals. Employers have the right to limit an employee’s compensation or to stop them from taking on further paid jobs.

Paying employees while they take time off from work is a smart idea. An enhanced quality of life is one of the main advantages of taking a sabbatical. That result will be seriously compromised by financial strain.

How does a sabbatical differ from a vacation?

With a few significant exceptions, a sabbatical is comparable to a vacation.

A sabbatical, for starters, is far longer. Even though some companies may offer extensive PTO (paid time off), these policies frequently place restrictions on the length of time you may take vacation days. Regardless of whether you have unrestricted PTO, you might not get paid or run the danger of losing your position after taking time off for an extended period of time in a row.

For instance, there are differences in the purpose of each kind of leave. Typically, vacation time is spent recreationally. People frequently use this period for relaxation, vacations, and family get-togethers.

On the other hand, a prolonged leave of absence gives a chance to engage in activities that are not feasible with a full-time job. Employees can typically take advantage of possibilities for professional or educational advancement because of the normal duration of a sabbatical. They could be writing a book, attending classes, traveling, or engaging in a variety of other pursuits.

Ten advantages of sabbaticals for workers

Although taking a day off from work has obvious benefits for employees, sometimes a day off doesn’t have the desired effect. According to research, it takes 3 or 4 days at the very least to transition from work to vacation mode. That roughly equates to the 1st week of the leave (sabbatical).

A prolonged break allows workers to relax, which is much needed. This increases accessibility to the other advantages of taking time off from work. The following are some advantages of a sabbatical for both staff members and the company:

1. Employee benefits from sabbatical leave

Decreased anxiety, despair, and tension
Decreases in burnout occurrences and resilience
Freedom to follow other passions, such as volunteering or travel
Possibilities for skill improvement
Gives space for inner work and introspection

2. The advantages of sabbatical schemes for businesses

Enhanced retention of employees
Possibilities for training future leaders (succession planning)
An increase in inventiveness and creative thinking
An increasingly versatile and contented workforce
Lowers the expense of staff churn

Establishing a policy for sabbatical leave

Having a policy for sabbatical leave is a great perk. It can benefit your business and improve the working environment for your employees. You become a desirable option for potential talent as well.

Online templates for policies pertaining to sabbatical leave are plentiful. There are a few things you should think about before implementing a sabbatical policy as part of your employee incentives package.

What things should be covered by the policy?

Together with your managers and HR, go over the below-mentioned eligibility questions:

For what length of time does an employee have to work for the organization before becoming eligible for sabbatical leave?
What is the duration of the sabbatical?
Will time off be compensated or not? Will workers get paid their entire salary if they are paid?
Will there be limitations on their activities?
Are we mandating that they develop skill sets related to their jobs or utilize their time off for certain purposes?
After their leave, is there a minimum period of time that they must continue to work for the business?
Shall we permit an extension of leave? Under what circumstances and for how long?
How much advance notice is required from a worker before availing of a sabbatical?
If taken before a specific date, will workers “forfeit” their sabbatical?
What conditions must be met before the manager or company can reject a sabbatical?

By providing meaningful answers to these questions, you will be better equipped to implement sabbatical leave policies.

Examples of businesses that provide sabbatical leaves

Seeking motivation? Several firms have implemented effective rules regarding sabbatical leave:

After five years of service (and every 5 years thereafter), Adobe provides a 4 to 6-week sabbatical break.

Employees at PayPal receive a four-week break after five years of employment.

There are two sabbatical options offered by Deloitte. You may take a 1-month unpaid leave of absence for whatever reason. Another option is to take a 3 to 6-month paid sabbatical for volunteer work and career growth.

Employers who choose to engage in Patagonia’s Environmental Internship Program may take up to 2 months of leave (paid).

Guidelines for getting ready for a worker’s sabbatical

Numerous variables will determine how you should get ready for a staff member’s leave. To begin with, you must ascertain the duration of the employee’s leave. Additionally, you will need to make various plans for workers who oversee other workers or deal personally with clients.

In any case, you’ll have to decide if you’ll need a replacement for that worker when they’re not available. Determine in collaboration with their immediate management whether it makes more sense to assign those duties to others or to hire a replacement.

If the worker serves as a client’s primary point for communication (an account supervisor, for example), make sure you give yourself enough time to officially introduce the customer to their successor.

Concluding remarks

Although sabbatical leave is nothing new, few companies actually offer it. With remarkable success, however, businesses are putting sabbatical policies into place. A sabbatical may be the solution for your company if you want to increase engagement, productivity, retention, and morale. It gives workers time to think things through, develop, and revisit their passions.

Have a quick question? We answered nearly 2000 FAQs.

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