Managers who are thinking about experimenting with their own sabbatical programs should take their time and proceed with caution. They might also consider the following suggestions:
- Make the program available only to your best workers.
- Restrict eligibility to top company executives.
- Limit eligibility to senior employees who have been with the company at least 5 years (or more).
- Experiment, first, on a limited number of employees.
- Don’t lock yourself into a permanent commitment. Make clear from the outset that your company reserves the right to cancel the program at any time (with prior notice).
- Carefully study the results of your trial program before you decide to maintain or extend the program.
- Consider the amount of time allowed. You should provide the employee on leave sufficient time to gain whatever benefit is desired without overextending your generosity.
- Encourage your employees to get whatever benefit out of the program that you want them to get. The best way to accomplish that is to offer the employee some specific tips. You might even offer seminars on how to get the most from sabbaticals.
- Before you adopt such a program, study the idea in detail. Read everything you can find on sabbaticals,consult experts, examine case studies.
- Be sure that you have adequate backup personnel who can competently handle the work of the persons on leave, without burning themselves out.
Personnel Journal, January 1995, Vol. 74, No. 1, p. 40.