MYTH 1: THERE’S NO WAY MY EMPLOYER WILL LET ME TAKE A SABBATICAL.
Currently, few employers have recognized sabbatical programs. Far fewer offer paid sabbaticals. Only four percent of U.S. companies offer paid sabbatical benefits and 16 percent offer unpaid sabbaticals.
But for those who do offer one, employers have a lot of pride into their programs. These programs do wonders for employee retention, satisfaction, and engagement. Those companies worried their employees will leave after getting a taste of work-free life should take note of Cliff Bar’s sabbatical program. Cliff Bar's turnover rate is less than three percent.
Your employer most likely doesn’t have an official sabbatical program. If you love your job and are committed to it, ask your employer about a sabbatical. Do your research first and think through how the sabbatical will help you be a stronger employee and contribute to the workplace.
Can you use the time to build a relationship, learn a new skill on your own that will make you an asset to the team? Do your research and then pitch it to your employer. Ask.
MYTH 2: I’M TOO OLD TO GO ON A SABBATICAL.
Taking a sabbatical doesn’t need to be reserved for full professors at prestigious institutions. Taking a sabbatical is about taking control of your life: take the time to accomplish something on your bucket list, growing closer to friends, family, your spouse, or your children. The age range of a sabbatical-taker will be past their mid 20s, but have yet to fully retire.
You need to have put in some time into a career that you’re walking away from. You are not too old to do this. You will get different things out of a sabbatical when you are in different stages in your life. Being in your 30s, 40s, and 50s, is a great time to do this. You know yourself better, and you will seek out something meaningful to you. There’s no such thing as a perfect time. For some people, it’s before they have children, for others it’s before their children have children, for others, it’s taking advantage of unforeseen gap in employment while there’s money in the bank and you are still in good health.
MYTH 3: MY JOB WILL BECOME REDUNDANT IF I GO ON SABBATICAL (IT’S OUT OF SIGHT AND OUT OF MIND):
A dose of humility- everyone’s replaceable. We are not the only ones who can do our jobs.
There’s a risk that you could loose your job or the company you work for could go under. However, these events can happen whether you’re in the office or not. People who have gone sabbatical have been fired- yes that’s true. And, people who haven’t gone on sabbatical were also fired. In the end it comes down the individual employee and employer (and the economy).
Work hard. Be smart. Eat that frog. Do the work it takes to make yourself invaluable to the company. Be a strong employee. But don’t hide the secret recipe. You’ll get a lot out of teaching someone else your job for your time on sabbatical. Your company will appreciate and recognize your train the trainers approach. If you’re a valuable employee, people will want you back.
If you go on sabbatical, make a plan to check in with your manage and see how it’s going.
MYTH 4: I’M GOING TO FALL BEHIND IN MY CAREER…AND IN LIFE.
This is tough and personal. Everyone feels they’re behind. We read about the 16 year old that just became a millionaire. A friend published their third novel. It’s an endless race. Taking a sabbatical is about taking stock about what’s meaningful for your career and your life and not playing the comparison games.
Everything comes with a risk. But in the end it’s about how you approach the sabbatical, how you open yourself up to experiences, and learn from them.
An important thing to do to help overcome this fear is to narrate the why you’re going on a sabbatical. Practice telling people the why. Let them challenge you. Defend it. Be confident in your why. It’ll help you articulate the sabbatical to your friends, family, and to your colleagues.
THIS QUORA THREAD HAS SOME GREAT INSIGHTS ABOUT HOW MIGHT A SABBATICAL ENHANCE YOUR CAREER.
A sabbatical offered the opportunitiy to visit remote historical sites. Pictured above the 6th century Orthodox monastery of Davit Gareja in the country Georgia