Have you exchanged vows recently and are yearning for a break from work? Or are you thinking about going on a sabbatical for a long retreat into the hills? Or finally, are you planning to take the plunge and start your own business?
If you have been thinking about taking a sabbatical from work or taking a career break, then give this article a read.
Taking a sabbatical from work
We all need a pause button in our daily lives, don’t you think? Be it short or long, the value of a break cannot be denied. And it is true for our professional lives as well. Well, fortunately, there is an option we can use. It is what we call a sabbatical leave. Let’s see what a sabbatical definition looks like.
What is a sabbatical leave?
A sabbatical leave or sabbatical break is a period during which you can take time off from work for a host of personal or professional reasons and still remain employed. This sabbatical sounds like the regular leave you take at work. Well, read below to see how it isn’t the same.
Sabbatical leave reasons
As I mentioned before, you can take a sabbatical leave for a host of reasons. They can be to take time off for yourself or for your loved ones. They can even upgrade you so that you turn out to be a better addition to the company. Here are some common reasons you can take a sabbatical:
- Travelling
- Health & Wellbeing
- Further studies
- Volunteering
- Bereavement
Sabbatical leave period
The policies of the organisation you work for primarily determine how long you can take a sabbatical. It is usually a minimum of 4 weeks but can be longer. For example, some organisations offer a maximum sabbatical break of 2-3 months.
Sabbatical leave rules
What is a sabbatical? Check. Sabbatical leave reasons: check. Sabbatical leave period: check. But what about the sabbatical leave rules? Well, here they are.
So, there are a number of rules that your sabbatical leave policy may have. Here is a rundown of the common points listed under them.
- Purpose: You can be granted a sabbatical break for any of the reasons listed above. But, in case your company’s sabbatical leave policy approves only certain reasons, you will have to check with your HR to confirm if your purpose fits the bill.
- Salary: The most common question is whether you will be paid for the time you are on sabbatical. Some companies pay their employees in full; some pay a percentage of the salary, and some may choose not to pay. Yet others decide to pay their employees for a certain period of the time they are on their sabbatical break while offering no pay during the rest.
- Number of sabbaticals: There is usually no fixed number of times you can take a sabbatical. However, your company may have listed down the number of days there needs to be a gap before you can take another sabbatical.
- Eligibility: Mostly, an employee is eligible for a sabbatical leave if they have served a minimum period of years in the company. This number varies greatly from company to company. So much so that while some may outline this period, some companies may simply choose to grant it on account of the individual being an employee of the company.
- Prior notice: Since you will be unavailable for work for a long period of time, your organisation will need to make arrangements to ensure that their work is not affected due to your absence. To make this easier, companies usually mention a period in advance that you must inform them of your plans for a sabbatical.
This was just a glimpse of the rules you can expect to adhere to when deciding to hit pause. You will find more in your company's policy for sabbaticals.
How does a sabbatical leave impact your career?
Here is the big question: "Does taking a sabbatical leave impact my career positively or negatively?" The answer to this is that there is no direct answer.
You can expect a benefit if the rest you received had a positive effect on your health and you are set to resume work with renewed vigour. You may also find yourself receiving a boost in your professional life if the course you invested in during the sabbatical seems to give you good returns.
The cons seem to show up in the form of difficulties in re-entry into work. Some companies may not guarantee you the position after the sabbatical. And for those that do, the workplace may not look the same to you after the sabbatical period is over. You may have to adjust and adapt to fit into the changes that make up the new environment.
Taking a career break
You know, there are times when you may think taking a break from work would be a good idea. Since working alongside adulting only exhausts you out. If that is how you feel, then a career break may just be the thing for you.
What is a career break?
A career break is the period of time when you decide not to work after having been engaged in the professional world for a period of time. The reasons may again be personal or professional.
The difference between a sabbatical leave and a career break lies mainly in the fact that while you may be guaranteed your position back after a sabbatical, in the case of a career break, you will have to resign from your position. This means you will have no job to return to after you end your career break.
Career break reasons
As you might have guessed, taking a career break will require a significant shift in your priorities. So, the reasons will have to be significant enough for you to stop working altogether for this period of time. They could be:
- Post-marriage responsibilities
- Child rearing priorities
- Looking after an ailing family member
- Starting a new business
- Relocation to join spouse in their place of posting
How long is a career break?
A career break also differs from a sabbatical leave in the length of its duration. Since you are to resume working after your sabbatical, the duration is usually fixed, but in the case of a career break, the duration is not definite. It varies according to your circumstances and individual needs. It could be anywhere from 6 months to a few years.
Career break policy
Due to the indefinite and unpredictable nature of career breaks, company policies regarding them also differ. However, a few remain constant. Here is how they look:
- Re-entry into the organisation: As already mentioned, no company guarantees resumption of employment after a career break. But some companies may offer their employees preferential consideration during the hiring process if an employee decides to join the same organisation after the career break.
- Salary and benefits: Since the employee resigns from the company before taking a career break, they are not entitled to any salary or any perks they enjoyed during their tenure of employment. The benefits and salary may or may not be revised if they are able to rejoin the same company.
How does a career break impact your career?
The answer to this question holds a more sombre tone than the same for sabbatical leaves. This is so because restarting your career after a break can be tricky since it can get difficult to find jobs after a break that long.
Returning to the workforce and looking for jobs again may seem intimidating because of the break from the professional world. The time you have been away from work may also make your skills outdated, and you may be unaware of the recent happenings in the job market.
This is why it is essential that you are prepared for the initial hiccups and arm yourself with the latest skills and knowledge when you decide to rejoin the workforce.
How do you apply for a sabbatical leave or a career break?
Here is one way you can apply for all kinds of leaves easily: by integrating Sup Bot with Slack or Microsoft Teams.
Add to Slack
Add to Teams
Add to WebexThe holiday tracker from Sup allows you to request and manage your time-off with regular reminders on your company’s messaging platform. Here is how:
Step 1: Go to the holidays page.
- Simply sign in to Sup using Slack or Microsoft Teams.
- Find the holidays feature listed on the left.
- Click on it to go to the page where you can add or view team holidays.
Step 2: Add a holiday
Hit 'add holiday' at the holidays section on Sup.
Step 3: Pick a holiday type.
Select the appropriate option from the drop-down menu with the list of holiday types.
Step 4: Set the leave duration.
Select the start date and the end date of the period you will be unavailable for work.
Step 5: Pre-set your leave status.
Turn on the Slack status and mention your leave status message. This ensures everyone knows your availability status when you are on leave so you do not get pinged for work.
Sup lets you set this beforehand so you can be free on the days you are off work.
Step 6: Receive notification of approval.
You will receive a notification on the messaging platform as shown above once your leave is approved.
Step 7: The team receives a notification.
Sup informs your team on the set channel of the holiday once it is approved.
Step 8: Receive weekly reminders
The workspace tab under the settings lets managers select the working week for their organization. This is to help the bot determine the last day of the week. It is then able to send everyone weekly reminders for leaves.
So, if the last working day of the week is Saturday, as shown above, your team will receive reminders of leave every Saturday before you start your leave, as shown below.
These remind your team that you will be unavailable for work and that no task is allotted to you for the said period.
See how easy it is? There is no tedious process of standing in queues outside HR’s room to get your leave approved. Sup makes the entire leave management process smoother and faster for everyone.
At the end of the day,
It is only human to take a break. We know nothing is linear in our personal lives. The same is true for our professional lives as well. Taking a sabbatical leave or a career break is a personal choice that may turn out to be life-changing. Both of these are employee benefit policies that have been in place for good reason. Check with yourself if you need a pause and are ready to hit that button - either for a sabbatical leave or a career break.
Frequently asked questions
1. Is sabbatical leave paid or unpaid?
Sabbatical leave can be either paid or unpaid, depending on the company's policies. Some companies offer full pay during the sabbatical, while others may provide partial pay or no pay at all. In some cases, companies might offer pay for a portion of the sabbatical period. The specific terms and conditions of sabbatical leave, including compensation, typically vary based on the organization's guidelines and the employee's role and tenure.
2. How long is a sabbatical?
Sabbatical leaves are typically granted for a minimum of 4 weeks, but they can be longer depending on the company's policies. The exact duration of a sabbatical can vary widely, with some companies offering several months to a year or more. The specific length of the sabbatical is usually determined by the organization's guidelines and the employee's needs.
3. What is a career break?
A career break is a period during which an individual chooses to step away from their professional career for a set amount of time, often after having been active in the workforce for a while. This break can be taken for various professional or personal reasons, such as further education, travel, health, family commitments, or personal development. Career breaks can vary in length and are typically planned to allow the individual to return to their career or explore new professional opportunities afterward.
