Sabbaticals are a benefit that many organizations -- and many employees -- find intriguing, yet there has historically been little information on prevalence, best practices or guidelines to support program development. In the July issue of workspan, the magazine of WorldatWork (www.worldatwork.com), Frank Giancola ([email protected]) has written a very informative article on the topic titled "Making Sense of Sabbaticals".
With respect to prevalence, Frank shares the impressive statistic that twenty-five of Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For in 2006 offer paid sabbaticals to their employees. He also details the different types of sabbatical programs, including those described in the quote below.
Unless noted otherwise, programs apply to all employees, may be used for any purpose (except to work for a competitor) and are in addition to vacation.
Education. IBM offered paid sabbaticals of up to one year to enhance the job skills of engineers, scientists and computer programmers who take courses or teach. But only three or four employees take one each year because most are sufficiently challenged at work.
Social Service. For 34 years, Xerox has allowed employees to work full time with full pay and benefits for nonprofit community groups for up to one year. Four hundred and sixty employees have taken advantage of the program.
Meet Business Needs. Instead of reducing staff and losing valuable talent, Accenture has offered six- to 12-month leaves, with 20 percent of salary and full benefits, for employees with more than a year of service. About 2,000 took the offer in 2001. To avoid layoffs and reduce costs during a 1991 business downturn, AT&T offered unpaid leaves of nine months to two years to managers with at least five years of service, with a guarantee of an equivalent job and salary upon return. Twenty-three hundred employees took the offer, most of whom used tuitionreimbursement benefits.
Extended Personal Leave. In 2005, Deloitte & Touche launched a Personal Pursuits Program that allows high performing, senior-level employees to take up to five years of unpaid leave for personal reasons, with no guarantee of a job on return. The firm pays for certain training, licenses or professional memberships; provides updates on developments at work; and offers short-term paid projects. The annual cost is about $2,500, far below the twice-salary cost of replacing employees.
Paid Time Off — Upper-Level Employees. American Management Systems offered eight-week paid sabbaticals to senior-level employees with at least seven years of service and three years in the position, benefiting 200 of its 2,100 employees.
Paid Time Off — Competitive. Each year, Microsoft competitively awards one paid leave of eight weeks to high-ranking, high-performing employees with at least seven years of service. About 100 are nominated, but few can afford to take the time off, and instead accept cash, make a charitable donation or move laterally to a temporary assignment.
Paid Time Off — All Employees. Intel, the first Silicon Valley firm to offer sabbaticals, starting in 1969, provides eight-week, paid sabbaticals every seven years. In 2004, 4,100 of its 45,000 employees took advantage of the program. Genentech, which is rated as Fortune's best company to work for, offers six-week paid sabbaticals every six years.
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