Supporters: Company Sabbaticals
Taking a career break doesn’t always mean you need to leave your job or company, especially if you love where you work and what you do. In fact, a career break or sabbatical is a great opportunity to become rejuvenated in your career and environment. And many companies in the US offer some sort of sabbatical program for their employees.
Sabbatical programs are a great way for companies to build employee loyalty and retention. According to a 2008 survey conducted by the Families and Work Institute, 24% of small businesses and 14% of large businesses allow their employees to take sabbaticals (paid or unpaid of six months or more).
Some companies that provide paid sabbaticals include Intel and Morningstar. Intel provides eligible employees with an eight-week sabbatical, with full salary and benefits, after each seven years of full-time service. Morningstar believes that their sabbatical program is one of the most touted benefits of working for them. According to their website “Every four years, you are granted a six-week paid leave to explore, experiment, and experience. What you do is up to you. We view the sabbatical program as a way of saying thanks for helping us grow, and as a way to help you grow.”
And companies like REI offer unpaid time off. Their Personal Leave of Absence program allows employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave in order to pursue any personal interest including volunteering, traveling the globe or going back to school.
During downturns in the economy, sabbaticals also allow companies a way to avoid layoffs of experienced employees. Accenture created a voluntary sabbatical program called FlexLeave, which allows consulting personnel an opportunity to take a voluntary sabbatical for a period of six to 12 months, while earning 20 percent of their salary and retaining full benefits.
During this economic crisis, it’s worth investigating to see if your company might offer this incentive.
If your company doesn’t already have a sabbatical program, it is worth discussing creating one with your HR department. Develop a list of goals that you hope to achieve during your career break and how they can be applied to your role in your company.
In addition to retaining a loyal employee, your career break offers another benefit to your company. It is believed that in the future, companies are going to have to offer some sort of sabbatical program, as younger generations will expect it as part of their benefits package. According to Quintessential Careers, an online career development site, “Generation Y gets the concept of lifelong learning, and seek employers who offer tuition reimbursement, sabbaticals, and other types of learning experience.”
You can help prepare your company for the future workforce.
We’d love to hear from you:
- Share with us your company’s sabbatical program
- Let us know if you helped craft a career break with your company - Share here.
Leah on Mon, 6th Jun 2011 8:12 am
I really enjoyed reading your post. I am thirty-two soon and have itchy feet that are ready to try out foreign soils.
It is a fear of leaving the security of the day to day grind of paying the bills and living a safe and non-challenging way of life that has put me on hold for some time.
I hope (as it has I) your post will inspire others to go and follow their bliss – Leah 🙂
Patricia GW on Mon, 6th Jun 2011 8:54 am
Travel and experiencing a new culture really has put it into perspective, and filled that void with purpose (and joy).
In three weeks I’ll be moving to Paris myself for one month. I have the same feeling – the incredible surreal realization that I’m going to be living there…. it’s thrilling!!
Abby on Mon, 6th Jun 2011 2:11 pm
Oh, Jenny! Escargot isn’t palatable — it’s delicious! I love your writing style; it’s so fun and energetic. Can you believe how far we’ve come? Everyone, Jenny and I were in the exact same industry and have known each other online and via work emails for years and years. But we’ve only met once, many, many years ago. And one of those jobs she was sleeping next to her BlackBerry for was one I’d just left. And now she’s 33 and living abroad, just like I was last year. Kindred spirits. Jenny, you’re a true inspiration — I can’t wait to see how your adventure unfolds!
Debbie Beardsley on Mon, 6th Jun 2011 3:22 pm
Your life in Paris sounds ideal. It is nice to read about people who follow their dreams instead of wishing they had! Enjoy the rest of your journey.
Terriaw on Tue, 7th Jun 2011 1:40 pm
Wow, fabulous and well said! I love your new outlook on like. After experiencing career burnout and feeling a little lost and purposeless lately, you have encouraged me. I look forward to seeing Paris someday!
Jenny on Tue, 7th Jun 2011 6:50 pm
merci for all the sweet comments! @abby we are soooo kindred spirits! well except when it comes to our differing feelings on escargot…;) and congrats patricia on the move! thrilling indeed!
shawna on Thu, 9th Jun 2011 1:32 am
you’ve reawakened my travel bug. must. return. to. france. (someday.) eat a croissant for me!
Weekly Travel Blog Links — LandingStanding on Mon, 13th Jun 2011 6:16 am
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G. Michael Schneider on Sun, 19th Jun 2011 3:36 pm
I am a firm believer in living and working overseas, just as you described. However, many of us actually like our jobs and our homes and are simply looking to renew and refresh our lives, not change it. However, you can have the same type of cultural experience without having to reach into your own wallet and without having to quit your day job–by taking what I call a “working vacation.” My wife and I have done this 15 separate times, from Australia to Zimbabwe, Turket to Tibet, Mauritius to Mongolia. I describe how to do it in my blog otherguysdime.wordpress.com and via Twitter at @otherguysdime. Learn how to have fun without having to have burn any of your bridges behind you.