It's always inspiring to read about companies who genuinely put their staff first. To read about their policies and culture, the process they go through in understanding their employees and what makes them tick.
We recently published a case study on how Buffer manage staff absence, and we've discussed sabbaticals too.
Buffer recently published their new policy on sabbaticals and once again I'm impressed by their understanding of employee burnout and the value of time spent with family and friends.
Here's their new policy on sabbaticals, it's well worth a read.
The family conundrum
My only concern with sabbaticals is that they offer a high value benefit for which the uptake relies heavily on personal circumstances, so may not be accessible for all.
I personally love the idea of a sabbatical. Five or six weeks of work free living, travel around Europe, maybe further afield, lazy carefree days with old friends. At Timetastic we'll support any staff member who wants to take one.
But my wife has a job too, and my kids have school, my friends are at work. I can't realistically go travelling and leave my family at home. My friends are only available after work. I'm not sure who'd I'd spend my sabbatical time with.
So for now a sabbatical feels like a benefit suited to a younger generation, pre-children with fewer ties. That's no bad thing, but anyone can overwork and burnout, so the problem to solve is some form of sabbatical that can work for all.
Photo by Juan Cruz Mountford on Unsplash