The benefits of sabbaticals

Lewis was part of a discussion that included Cincinnati resident Caitlin Behle, who took a three-month paid sabbatical last year from her nonprofit job, and Procter & Gamble engineer Jennifer Sims, who is taking a three-month unpaid sabbatical this summer.

The key to a sabbatical is it has to be a long enough break to allow an employee to reenergize, retool and prepare for what's next, Lewis said.

“It takes being very intentional,” said Lewis, who has taken sabbaticals. “It's not a break. It's not a vacation. It's really about getting your head around what is it that you're going to need for whatever the next chapter brings and then doing that with purpose.”

While sabbaticals are still fairly rare, Lewis said, they're becoming more common, particularly among tech companies.

Beyond sabbaticals, it's been interesting to see how companies have offered more flexible options to grow and retain their talent, Lewis said.

“It's too critical to keep wonderful people,” she said. “It is important to think outside of the box.”

According to a survey from the Sabbatical Project, 80% of surveyed employees who took a sabbatical said they've returned to their jobs.

“I think there's a very strong business case for sabbaticals, but oftentimes firms need evidence that you're not going to lose [employees] in this process,” Lewis said.

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