2. Sabbaticals described as a “sleeping giant” in the
New York Times (January 2009)
Harvard Business Review included sabbaticals in its “Annual List
of Breakthrough Ideas,” and described sabbaticals as an idea in
the “state of becoming.”
Self-funded sabbaticals were named one of the “five bold new ideas for
business excellence” by the Families and Work Institute.
61% of 30,000 employees indicate sabbaticals as on of the top
5 most-favored options for work-life flexibility (Accenture).
A GROWING
TREND

3. BREAKDOWN OF KNOWLEDGE WORKER’S DAY
28% 25% 20% 15% 12%
Interruptions Productive Meetings (in Searching Thinking and
by things that content person, by through reflecting
aren’t urgent creation phone, video content, like
or important, including and online) the Web,
like writing email digital
unnecessary messages communica-
emails – and tions and
the time it paperwork
takes to get
back on track.
Source: Pause! By Daniel P. Forrester, MacMillan, 2011

4. “Embracing think time and reflection as habits and routines will
determine success or rapid failure of organizations in the 21st
century.” – Daniel P. Forrester

5. purposeful elevation of chunks of work
THINK time, forged within densely packed
schedules. Forces the consideration of
TIME significant and pending decisions.
deliberately stepping back from daily habits and routines, either alone or
within small and sequestered groups. Where meaning is derived through
(re) consideration of fundamental assumptions, efficacy of past decisions
and the consequences of future actions. It’s where space is given for the
“totally unexpected” to emerge.
REFLECTION
Source: Pause! By Daniel P. Forrester, MacMillan, 2011

6. DIVERGENT
SABBATICAL STRATEGIES
Reward & Benefit Capacity Building
(key driver = rejuvenation) & Leader Development
Changing the Way
We Work Brand Building
(career longevity, & Living Values
Boomer talent, etc...)

7. STEFAN SAGMEISTER

9. Sabbatical-goers are more likely to remain in
positions & extend tenure.
Instead of chaos, a company’s operations &
agility may improve.
Sabbaticals are relatively inexpensive yet have a
highly productive capacity–building tools with
measurable results.
EXPOSING THE
MYTHS

10. “CREATIVE DISRUPTION” KEY FINDINGS
Revitalize Leaders
Rejuvenates executives. Reframes perspectives.
Shares responsibilities.

11. WELL-BEING BY THE NUMBERS
50%
25%
Percent of 0
sabbatical
leaders Not Applicable/
reporting No improvement
the level was needed
of impact
on...
Source: Creative Disruption: Sabbaticals for Capacity Building & Leadership Development in the Nonprofit Sector

12. “CREATIVE DISRUPTION” KEY FINDINGS
Increase Organizational Capacity
Improves executive bench strength. Promotes transition planning.
Re-envisions how the organization operates.

13. “CREATIVE DISRUPTION” KEY FINDINGS
Discover Tools for Succession Planning
Dry run for future leadership. Clarifies responsibilities (important for
successors). Interims decide if they want the job.

14. SHARED LEADERSHIP
& BENCH BUILDING
POST-SABBATICAL LEADERS:
Shared more decision-making with managers (85%)
More comfortable delegating major responsibilities
(84%)
Felt direct-reports became more skilled (83%)
Restructured management team (69%)
Restructured job & delegated to others (64%)
Team became more effective (60%)
Source: Creative Disruption: Sabbaticals for Capacity Building & Leadership Development in the Nonprofit Sector

15. POST-SABBATICAL
WORK COVERAGE PARTNERS
Bosses are more skilled (77%)
More delegation occurs (77%)
Have more decision-making authority (67%)
Have restructured jobs with greater responsibility (60%)
Source: Creative Disruption: Sabbaticals for Capacity Building & Leadership Development in the Nonprofit Sector

16. Majority reported positive changes remained
one year or longer post-sabbatical.

17. The sabbatical experience
causes organizational shifts
and has an interlocking
impact on the sabbatical-
goer and work coverage
partners, as well as other
direct reports & peers.

18. CAREER SABBATICAL
A planned, strategic job pause with specific goals and objectives
designed to benefit both an individual and his/her company.

19. SABBATICAL TRANSFORMATIONS
Identity/Self-Discovery
(journey inward)
Volunteerism
(journey to others)
Cultural Expansion/
Global Citizen
Career Development
Innovation/Creativity

20. GENERATIONS
MALE/FEMALE
WIDE APPEAL
CAREER LEVELS
ROLES

21. WHO OFFERS SABBATICALS

22. Paid, Unpaid, Self-Funded,
Partial Pay
Unrestricted (do what you want)
vs. Restricted (volunteer,
environmental, education, etc.)
Length of time off
four weeks to six months
PROGRAMS COME IN DIFFERENT SIZES & SHAPES
Eligibility based on:
years of service; application;
position; performance.
Unique features:
sabbatical bonus, mandatory
participation, etc.

23. 5 PROGRAM CONSIDERATIONS
SELF-FUNDED (UNPAID)
LINK TO COMPANY VALUES
ALIGNING WITH COMPANY
OBJECTIVES
APPLICATION/SELECTION
PROCESS
MULTIPLE PROGRAM DESIGN

24. WORKPLACES FOR
SABBATICALS
workplaces for of
Online List Employers With Sabbatical Programs
SABBATICALS
• Shows 100+ companies across all industries
• 15+ are accounting firms
• Includes companies with as few as
17 employees
• Largest representation is in
accounting, legal, technology and
“best employers”
• 19 of the listed employers are also on
Fortune’s 2010 “100 Best Companies to
Work For” list

25. BENEFITS TO THE
INDIVIDUAL
• Self-Awareness
• Stronger Engagement
• Opportunity to Coach
through Talent Exchange
• Replenished Energy
• Opportunity to Build
Knowledge and Skills
• Renewed Commitment
• Surge of Creativity
• Ability to Inspire
• Increased Confidence

26. BENEFITS TO THE
COMPANY
• Top talent is attracted and retained
• Talent is measured and leaders
are developed
• Succession planning occurs
• Cultures of collaboration
and trust are built
• Opportunities to “live the values”
emerge
• Clients actually love it
• The company’s brand is strengthened

27. “Of the return on the sabbatical dollar, about 20%
is the learning and development of the individual
leader who goes off. The other 80% of the return
is how other people learn and develop while
you’re not there – who steps up.”
– David Meek, CFO of AstenJohnson

28. SEVEN STAGES OF A
SUCCESSFUL CAREER SABBATICAL
Integration The Call
Re-Entry Illumination
Depart Assess
Plan

29. TALENT EXCHANGE
& THE SABBATICAL
Individual clarity of value
and impact.
Manager
Acquisition of new knowledge
and skills via an on-the-job
context (staying power).
Customers Sabbatical Coverage Increases employee
& Vendors Candidate Team “embeddedness” through
building a new network and
connections.
Collaboration, support, and trust.
Support
Partners Strengthens brand image from
(Finance, HR, coherent value proposition,
etc...)
reinforced in the “way of doing
business.”

30. UNCHARTERED TERRITORY
SABBATICAL
IMPACT CONTINUUM
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Line Item Has a Champion Senior Executive Support
HR Schedules CSO Coordinates Links to Other Programs
or Values
Stand-Alone Program Stand-Alone Program
Use of Multiple
No Internal Dialog Sabbatical Stories Exist Program Models
No Formal Evaluation Some Informal Dialog Structured Dialog
“Cover” Work vs. Talent as a Process
Development Aligned to Business
Objectives
Part of Employee Onboarding
Some Work
No Formal Evaluation Coverage Process
No Formal Evaluation

31. Active Recruitment Tool
Dynamic Work Coverage
Strong Link to Personal Goals as Part of Development
ROI – (Productivity, Loyalty, Leadership Behaviors, etc.)
THE NEW FRONTIER