In our career-driven lives, we often move so fast that we find ourselves fighting to keep up with everything that is happening. We start with meeting deadlines, one at a time, or maybe two or three. Then we try to squeeze some time to spend with family and friends. As our nights turn into days as we stay up all night to keep up with it, eventually it may lead to burnout. How to deal with it, you ask? You can opt for the sabbatical leave for employees that your company might provide you if you have worked there for an adequate number of years.
So, what exactly is sabbatical leave for employees and what’s in it for employers?
If you Google the term ‘sabbatical’, it will define it as a time of paid leave taken by a professor for intellectual study for a year, after every seven years he/she has worked, and then continue contributing to the school/college. However, sabbaticals are no more limited to professors; a lot of companies have adopted the concept and are now providing leave to their employees so they don’t suffer from job burnout. Well, to answer “what’s in it for employers?” part, they can keep sabbaticals on the top of their employee retention strategies. Who wouldn’t want a paid time off? So, mentioning it as a perk that your company provides may not only retain but motivate employees to stick to the company for long-term.
Sabbaticals are not only used for taking up training or studies, it can be used for any of the following purposes:
- Relaxing to heal from job burnout.
- To hone some new skills by taking up a course or something.
- Travel to different parts of the world and explore new cultures and places.
- General reflecting.
- Volunteering for anything.
Have you been feeling stressed out at work lately? Do you feel your productivity and your ability to innovate is decreasing day by day? Do you feel the urge of taking a long break from your routine? You should talk to the HR, as many companies offer paid and unpaid sabbatical leave for employees as a part of their employee benefits or employee retention strategies.
Say what? You can get a time off and your company pays for it? Yeah! So, how to get a paid sabbatical, you ask? Actually, that depends on your company’s policies and if you deserve or qualify for this perk. If you have been working at the same company for quite a few years and you are one of the high-performers that the company can’t afford to lose, it can be easier for you to get a paid or partially paid sabbatical leave.
The upside of this whole thing is that you’ll feel rejuvenated when you return to your job and may think of it as a completely new job, showing more enthusiasm towards work. The employer may also benefit equally as it may improve the quality of work that the employee delivers, better employee retention and enhanced employee morale.
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