The additional five days’ are for employees to celebrate milestone moments
SAP ANZ is giving its employees five days of additional holiday to help support better work/life balance. The software firm’s new ‘Life Leave’ policy aims to give staff time off for life moments like getting married, moving house, or simply to recharge their mental health.
Debbie Rigger, head of HR at SAP ANZ said the additional leave aims to reflect the difficult challenges employees have been up against in the face of the pandemic.
“Hearing from our teams through check-ins and surveys, we know that many have refocused what their priorities are and where they want to devote their time,” she told HRD.
“SAP’s new Life Leave policy is our way of showing our teams that we understand the need to plan work around life, not the other way round.
“Ultimately, we want to be able to support our employees to ensure they are happy, healthy and engaged. For some, that means taking a week off to turn a hobby into a side project, for others that could mean working a few shorter weeks to simply get more time to rest and recharge. Whatever they choose, we are here to support them.”
Read more: Working from home guilt: How to get over it
The new policy comes as experts warn of a ‘fourth wave’ of mental health problems caused by the pandemic. Longer hours, skyrocketing pressure and a lack of boundary between home and office are all contributing to the rise in burnout.
Over a year on from lockdown and it’s clear that combating high levels of fatigue and exhaustion is going to be one of the biggest challenges facing hybrid workforces. As a result, we’re seeing a rise in the number of organisations increasing leave allowances or introducing specific iniaitves to help employees recharge.
As well as the new Life Leave policy, SAP is also introducing a global Mental Health Day on April 27. It will see all SAP employees around the globe switching off their computer to enjoy a paid day off. The initiative has been launched off the back of a recent worldwide SAP employee pulse survey, which revealed that a third (30%) of employees globally are struggling to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Read more: Toxic Taboos: Why the stigma around mental health?
“If 2020 taught us anything, it was the importance of being present for life’s meaningful moments,” said Damien Bueno, president and MD of SAP ANZ. “These initiatives demonstrate our commitment to our employees to help them focus on their wellbeing and take the time to celebrate the moments that matter to them. This means we have happier, healthier and more engaged employees, which directly leads to better outcomes for our customers and our business.”
