An increasing trend across the world of work is the number of employers looking for solutions to employee burnout. Employee burnout is a serious issue for employers, as burnout is a driving factor in employee turnover, decreased job satisfaction, and low employee performance.

A solution that is becoming more prevalent is offering long-standing employees sabbatical leave. A sabbatical is more than a vacation, and often consists of several weeks of uninterrupted time off. The goal is that workers will return to their jobs with renewed enthusiasm and creativity.

Sabbaticals can be paid or unpaid and are a substantial reward to employees (generally focused on employees with 5+ years of tenure). Implementing a sabbatical program is not only a benefit to maintain current employees but can also be used as a recruitment tool to attract top talent.

The Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) suggests crafting a detailed sabbatical structure to include specifics of the leave and formulating coverage opportunities for when the employee is out. Here are some questions employers should consider:

• Who is eligible to take sabbatical leave and how many years of service are required to be eligible?
• Is there a designated timeframe within which employees must take their sabbatical leave?
• What is an appropriate duration of sabbatical leave to ensure minimal disruption to business operations?
• What is the financial impact of sabbatical leave?
• Who will cover the employee’s job duties while they are out on sabbatical?
• Will the returning employee’s job need to be restructured to meet different priorities and company needs?

Sabbatical leave may not be feasible for every employer but it is an interesting tactic to address employee burnout in today’s hectic world of work.

If you have questions regarding sabbatical leave, please reach out to The Employer Group.

 

 

This information does not constitute legal advice.