Sabbaticals Are a Useful Perk, But They Won’t Cure Burnout
Offering extended leave can help companies retain good employees.
How to spend a sabbatical: Just rest.
Photographer: Carl Court/AFP via Getty Images
In yet another reminder that the competition for talent never stops, the Wall Street Journal reports that investment banks, tech companies and other elite firms are quietly offering sabbaticals as a way to retain employees burned out by the pandemic. This follows reports last year that companies including Nike and LinkedIn gave their workers an extra week off to cope with the strain of Covid-19.
Such stories always elicit strong emotions. Perhaps this one sparks jealousy (“I want that!”) or outrage (“We can’t pass a four-week maternity leave and coders get six to 12 weeks for sabbaticals?!”). But consider this perk dispassionately: Will it work against burnout? Probably not.