Guide to Sabbatical Leave:
Definition, Types, and Benefits

1. What is a sabbatical leave?

Such long term time off has been around since 1880 when Harvard University launched academic sabbaticals for its professors to take a year off to recharge mentally and physically. The professors were using this time to develop professionally, learn new ideas that they could incorporate into their work, and pursue research. The sabbatical was beneficial both for the professor and the university: the professor would recharge, and the university would gain from the energy of the returning professor.

According to the 2018 Employee Benefits Report by SHRM, only 15% of organizations offered their professionals sabbatical leave, but only 5% were paid sabbaticals.

Recently, the conversations about sabbaticals have gained increasing attention. In 2022, The Wall Street Journal published The Sabbatical, a Power Move for the Burnout Era article about employees who chose to go on a sabbatical instead of joining the Great Resignation.

Sabbatical leave is a career break that you grant to meritorious employees to pursue their passions and do the activities they can’t do while following their regular work schedules.

A sabbatical leave lasts longer than a standard one- or two-week vacation.

Employees may use this time to:

• travel, especially overseas
• volunteer for causes they resonate with
• research topics of relevance for their professional growth
• study to advance in their careers.

Although initially associated with the academic environment, nowadays, more organizations offer sabbatical leave as a constructive benefit to their employees.

2. How does a sabbatical leave work?

As a rule, sabbatical leave is a benefit granted to a worthy employee who has worked for your company for a specific number of years (usually more than five) or completed a particularly demanding project.

There is no legal minimum period for a sabbatical. Yet, if you want your employees to get the most out of this time away from work, the sabbatical leaves should last a month to one year.

The sabbatical leave is separate from other types of leave of absence you provide to your employees. When you decide to reward your most valuable employees with sabbatical leaves, you must consider certain aspects that you overlook in case of shorter breaks:

• A new hire
• Training a replacement
• Taking over tasks
• Covering duties.

Regardless of the length of the sabbatical, the employees are not required to fulfill their daily obligations or report to work, yet they remain employed at your company during this period.

3. Paid vs. unpaid sabbatical leave

This is probably the most time-consuming question when implementing a sabbatical leave policy. We have no straight answer for you.

A paid sabbatical is an enormous expense for you as the employer, especially if you need to hire and train a temporary employee. Your employees will see it as a superior benefit if you pay them while on sabbatical.

Some employees may still appreciate it if you allow them to take a sabbatical, even if it is unpaid. Nonetheless, if they cannot take advantage of this benefit due to lost incomes, then your sabbatical leave policy is not an effective one.

You can choose a midway solution between offering paid and unpaid sabbatical leave. This means you can pay a percentage of the wage during the sabbatical. Or you may fully pay employees who use this time away from work to improve their professional skills but offer unpaid or reduced-pay sabbaticals to employees taking time off for reasons outside work.

You also have the option to grant a paid/unpaid hybrid sabbatical leave. For instance, your employees can go on a sabbatical for up to a year, but you pay their wages for only eight months. They can request a full-year sabbatical leave, but four months would be unpaid.

4. Top benefits of sabbatical leave for employers and employees

Sabbatical leave is an excellent opportunity for your employees to detach from work and focus on other meaningful things, professional or personal. According to a survey conducted by OnePoll on behalf of the small-group tour operator G Adventures, Americans don’t de-stress until three days into their vacation. Hence, a sabbatical leave is more than welcome.

Here are the key benefits of sabbatical leave for employees and the company:

• For employees: Disconnecting from the daily stress of deadlines and responsibilities can help restore mental energy and boost creativity. Employees who take a sabbatical leave return with new angles, perspectives, and skills that can fuel their personal and professional growth.
• For the team: Sabbatical leave is an excellent occasion for team members to step in, take on new responsibilities, gain experience, and prove themselves. Knowing that someday they can also be eligible for a sabbatical leave motivates them to work harder for your organization.
• For employers: More than 75% of the employees who were on a sabbatical returned to their jobs rejuvenated, with a higher level of engagement and a greater sense of well-being. Their new-gained energy becomes a driving force for the entire business.

5. What must a sabbatical leave policy include?

What does a comprehensive sabbatical leave policy include? What are the rules for applying for a sabbatical? Who is eligible for a sabbatical?

The exact interpretation of a sabbatical policy depends on each business, but next, we will cover the most important questions to include in your policy:

• Eligibility: Who is eligible to request a sabbatical?
• Duration: How long does the sabbatical last?
• Payment: Will your employees be fully or partially paid or unpaid during the sabbatical?
• Company benefits: Do you still pay company benefits like insurance and retirement while your employee is on sabbatical?
• Application process: How do employees apply for a sabbatical? Who approves their requests?
• Timeframe: How long do employees need to apply for a sabbatical in advance?
• Backfilling roles: What happens to the employee’s job while they are away?

Examples of companies offering sabbatical leave as employee benefits

Here are some examples of companies that provide sabbatical leave as a benefit to their employees:

1. Google - Google offers a sabbatical program to employees who have worked for the company for at least five years. The program provides three months of paid time off, during which employees can pursue personal or professional development opportunities.
2. Adobe - Adobe offers a sabbatical program to employees who have worked for the company for five years or more. The program provides four weeks of paid time off, during which employees can pursue personal or professional development opportunities.
3. Patagonia - Patagonia offers a sabbatical program to employees who have worked for the company for 15 years or more. The program provides two months of paid time off, during which employees can pursue personal or professional development opportunities.
4. Intel - Intel offers a sabbatical program to employees who have worked for the company for seven years or more. The program provides eight weeks of paid time off, during which employees can pursue personal or professional development opportunities.
5. Deloitte - Deloitte offers a sabbatical program to employees who have worked for the company for at least five years. The program provides up to six months of unpaid time off, during which employees can pursue personal or professional development opportunities.
6. Airbnb - Airbnb offers a sabbatical program to employees who have worked for the company for four years or more. The program provides six weeks of paid time off, during which employees can pursue personal or professional development opportunities.
7. LinkedIn - LinkedIn offers a sabbatical program to employees who have worked for the company for five years or more. The program provides four weeks of paid time off, during which employees can pursue personal or professional development opportunities.

These are just a few examples, but many other companies also offer sabbatical programs to benefit their employees.

Final thoughts

Each and every firm depends on its employees to succeed. The competition in today’s labor market is fierce. You don’t choose who works for you; the fact is that employees choose to work for your organization depending on what you have to offer.

Time away from work is your greatest gift to an increasingly stressed workforce.

Sabbatical leave is uncharted territory for many companies in the corporate world. However, the companies that took a leap of faith and implemented this benefit for their employees had great success on several levels. Sabbaticals give individuals the so-much-needed time away from work and a chance to focus on self-enrichment and professional growth.

It may sound like nonsense, but the truth is that by allowing your employees to spend a prolonged time away from work, you are building a strong, cohesive, and loyal team.