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Given my (relatively) junior age, I’ve never been eligible for a sabbatical. But I already know that when the time comes along for a much-needed career break, I’ll be ready to grasp it with open hands.
My dad, however, was lucky enough to participate in a sabbatical scheme in 2017. In his time off he found the time to complete a once-in-a-lifetime trek through the Himalayas and write a subsequently published book that he’d been itching to start for years. Not bad going.
It wasn’t all hard physical and mental exercise though—there were plenty of toasties (grilled cheeses) in front of the TV, too. The sabbatical came at the perfect time in his career as a chance to pursue some genuine passion projects that were eating away in the back of his mind, and to reinvigorate him in his work for the following years.
Just like my old man, it seems US employees are waking up to the idea that a sabbatical could be a much-needed perk to take advantage of.
Survey data from Gusto of over 300,000 small and mid-sized businesses found that in January 2024, 6.7% of employees were on a sabbatical, more than double the rate in 2019.
This rate only includes paid sabbaticals, too. An even greater share of employers offer unpaid sabbaticals. And whether the employee is supported financially by the business throughout their time off or not, there’s no doubting it’s a win-win for all.
Why offer a sabbatical program? P&G’s got the answer
On July 19, P&G shared a blog post detailing the successes of their sabbatical program which forms a vital part of its commitment to help employees ‘Be at their Best.’
P&G’s scheme offers employees up to three months off every give years, unpaid, to “focus on personal development, travel or any other activity that aligns with their aspirations.”
For some workers, the freedom to take time off has allowed for – just like for my dad – a unique life experience. P&G’s Senior Director of Community Impact, Claudine Zukowsi, for example, used her 2010 sabbatical for a cross-country tour of US national parks with her husband and two children.
“As working parents, we wanted to have the opportunity to spend some good quality time with our kids when they were younger,” she explains. “We still talk about [the sabbatical] all the time. I think the memories and the stories that we all shared, the good and the bad, every bit of it was worth it.”
Zukowski, who plans to take another sabbatical with her family next year, hails the program as one of the best benefits P&G has to offer. “It was a complete disconnect from the day-to-day work,” she adds. “I remember feeling refreshed and ready to dig into work again.”
Giving workers the time to create unique experiences with their families, partners, friends, and loved ones is a gift that banishes burnout and brings rest, relaxation, and respite from mounting stress and fatigue. They can improve mental, emotional, and physical health, with participating employees returning more energized, productive, and loyal.
It’s not just “time off” – sabbaticals help employees’ personal development
However long the sabbatical lasts, they’re also a fantastic chance for employees to learn new skills and develop capabilities that they can bring back to work.
Take Anitra Marsh, P&G’s VP of Global Beauty Communications, who describes herself as a ‘sabbatical evangelist.’
“My first sabbatical taught me the power of human connection and being able to be present and that really helped my creativity,” she explains. “I came back to P&G better because I was able to separate and really get in touch with the world around me,” she said.
With the benefit of multiple months of free time, employees may come back from their sabbatical with new skills and capabilities achieved directly as a result of training, learning, and development.
But like Marsh, personal development also occurs indirectly through the novel experiences that sabbaticals foster.
“It can feel like, ‘Oh, I could never do this because the company needs me, and I can't step away,’” Marsh acknowledges. “But we work for a company that has systems in place to manage this, and that's why the policy exists,” she said, adding that her hugely supportive team thrived in her absence.
With the possibility of bringing back healthier, happier, and more well-rounded employees, the trick is to make sure there is sufficient planning around sabbaticals to make sure workers feel confident to take one—and if a sabbatical scheme is not yet a part of your wellbeing program, it’s time to change that.
What would you do with three months off? Let us know in the comments!
