Take a Sabbatical

The sabbatical was once limited to people working in academia, where the details are usually well-defined and structured by the university. Nowadays, some corporate employers have discovered the benefits of offering employees the opportunity to take an extended break to pursue personal goals, learn new skills, or simply recharge. Whether or not your employer has an official sabbatical policy, you will need to plan ahead and have a convincing argument ready to get your sabbatical approved.

Steps

Planning a Corporate Sabbatical

  1. Consider your status in the company. You are much more likely to be granted a sabbatical after you have been working for your employer for several years and have become well respected by your boss.[1] However, if the reasons for your sabbatical are time-sensitive and clearly benefit the company, it might be worth asking even if you do not meet these criteria.
    • For example, an intensive training course that would teach you job-relevant skills might be a compelling reason for the company to grant you a short sabbatical even as a relatively new employee.
  2. Learn about your company's policies. Talk to the personnel department to find out if your company has an official sabbatical policy. If it does, your company may offer no pay, partial pay, or full pay. Many companies do not have an official policy, but may be willing to grant a sabbatical anyway if you make a good argument as described in the steps below.
    • Make sure your job will be kept open for you during a sabbatical.
    • Check whether your benefits will be suspended, and whether alternate health care plans or other benefits will still be available through your company.[2]
  3. Brainstorm sabbatical plans that will benefit both you and the company. There are many reasons why a sabbatical will make you a better employee. Any sabbatical should leave you more motivated and creative after your return, and a company struggling financially may appreciate the short-term savings of granting a sabbatical. However, try to come up with more specific plans, along with reasons they would benefit the company:
    • Will your travels abroad or participation with a volunteer organization provide new language skills, international contacts, or cultural understanding that will assist you in your job?[3]
    • Will you learn new skills, either through classes, self-directed projects, or visiting other organizations?
    • See the section on "getting the most out of your sabbatical" for more ideas.
  4. Plan a sabbatical no longer than three months, as a general rule. Sometimes, you'll only need a few weeks off to take a training course or get certified in a specific task. Only ask for more than three months off if you are well-respected, a longtime employee, and have a compelling reason why the longer sabbatical is necessary. Unlike in the academic world, taking a corporate sabbatical for too long could hurt your reputation in the organization.[4]
  5. Present a written plan to your employer. Present a plan that describes the benefits to the company and yourself as a worker, and proposes a duration for your sabbatical. Mention that you are willing to train an interim employee if necessary, or to assist coworkers who may be taking on some of your duties.
    • If possible, make your request six months before the intended start date of your sabbatical, so your supervisor and coworkers have time to make necessary changes.
  6. Figure out your finances. If your employer will not pay you during your sabbatical, you will need to finance your break by yourself. Try to Save-Money in advance by paying off debts, and reducing expenditures. If this isn't enough, consider the following options:
    • Take out a home equity loan, or ask for personal loans from family and friends.
    • If your sabbatical lasts longer than a couple weeks, spend it in a region with a much lower cost of living. If you rent out your old place, sublet it with the permission of your landlord, or Exchange-Your-Home-for-Free-Vacation-Accommodation, you could reduce your costs significantly, or even break even.
    • Consider getting a part time job, such as freelancing or pet-sitting.
  7. Train an interim employee if necessary. If the company cannot function without you for the length of your sabbatical, it may need to find a temporary employee to cover for you. Train this person in your duties before you leave, or show willing coworkers how to cover your most important or time-sensitive duties while you're gone.
  8. Update your CV before you leave. If you have any recent job experience or certification that needs to go on your curriculum vitae, add it to the CV now. You may not remember to do this after you return from sabbatical.
  9. If you cannot get a sabbatical, think carefully about resigning. You can "make your own sabbatical" by resigning, then pursuing other non-work opportunities. After several months or even a couple years, you can search for a new job. There are obvious risks to this plan, as there is no guarantee you can get another job promptly. However, if you have the financial security to take an independent break, and you are pursuing genuine goals, you can put your "sabbatical" accomplishments on your resume when you decide to apply for a job again.

Getting the Most Out of Your Sabbatical

  1. Consider traveling. This can be done in combination with most sabbatical goals. Seeing another culture and making contacts is often beneficial, both personally and career-wise. If your company is looking for international contacts or markets, choose a location the company is interested in to make your sabbatical more likely to be approved.
  2. Find social responsibility opportunities. You could volunteer for a charity, or do field research for humanitarian or environmental causes. Some companies interested in social responsibility may appreciate having a worker who represents them in this type of work.
  3. Plan your personal goals or growth. This could mean attending a meditation retreat, running a triathlon, or writing a novel. Other goals could be as simple as spending time with your family, especially if your job requires a lot of time away from home or after-hours work. Not only will this type of goal make you more confident and happy, your employer may also benefit from a happier, more motivated worker.
  4. Learn new skills. Search for training courses, certification opportunities in new software or procedures, or language-learning programs. You may be able to visit another branch of your company or a sister organization, and do a little work for them to increase your knowledge and learn from a different corporate culture.
    • If you can't find opportunities like these, you can design your own schedule to teach yourself one of these skills.
  5. Conduct independent research. This is essentially work away from work, and can be a compelling reason for your employer to approve a sabbatical if you have a useful independent project proposal. Depending on your job, you may be developing a new product, process, or theory.
  6. Turn these plans into the most concrete goals possible. Decide on a specific volunteer program to join, or a specific location to travel to. Give your research project, skill learning opportunity, or personal goals their own timeline and deadline, so you are motivated to reach those milestones.
  7. Plan each day out. Even with concrete goals, it can be difficult to actually complete them without a regular work structure. Hold yourself to a certain amount of "sabbatical goal time" each day, whether this means spending time with your children or actively working on a project. This will cut down on wasted time and missed opportunities.

Tips

  • Find out if your company will continue to provide you with health insurance when you take a sabbatical. If not, review your options: paying for COBRA; being added to your spouse's or partner's insurance plan; or paying for a high-deductible, low-premium insurance plan.
  • Include 3 months of expenses in your savings for use during your re-entry into your normal life and the workforce.

Warnings

  • An extended sabbatical of several months to a year may negatively impact your 401k.

Things You'll Need

  • A written plan for your time off
  • Company benefits manual
  • Savings account
  • Itinerary
  • Health insurance

References

  1. ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/04/jobs/04career.html?_r=0
  2. ↑ http://www.careershifters.org/expert-advice/career-break-or-sabbatical-how-to-decide-what-is-right-for-you
  3. ↑ http://www.forbes.com/2010/08/24/sabbatical-leave-work-leadership-careers-advice.html
  4. ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/04/jobs/04career.html?_r=0

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