Five reasons to have a sabbatical leave policy

Sabbatical leave is extended leave that an employee might take to do volunteer work, develop a new skill, or just use the time to tend to their mental and physical wellbeing.

Sabbatical leave differs from other types of leave because of its length which at times, can be up to two years.

Sabbaticals are most common in the academic sector because they give flexibility to do tangenital research.

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Is sabbatical leave a paid leave?

Sabbatical leave could be paid or unpaid depending on the nature of an employees work and what they will be using the time for. Typically, it is a paid leave where either the full salary or a percentage of it is paid to the employee, but it can also be unpaid.

Can companies refuse a sabbatical?

Companies can refuse sabbatical requests. Currently, most companies will only offer them to their most outstanding employees.

It is important to have a sabbatical leave policy in place that clearly outlines key elements and allowed duration.

How long is a sabbatical?

Sabbaticals are typically six months long, but they can range in time from one month to two years.

Some companies use it for staff retention – i.e give employees who have worked there for five years

Benefits of sabbatical leave

1. Greater employee engagement
2. Less employee turnover
3. Attracting and retaining talent
4. Creating independent and productive teams
5. Expands talent resources for succession planning