Workplace Sabbaticals: A History, Current Practice, and Propositions for Future Research
College
College of Business Administration
Department
Management & Marketing
Abstract
According to the Society for Human Resource Management, approximately 17% of companies in 2017 reported having some form of sabbatical program as a part of their benefits packages. However, to date, there is very little research on the topic of workplace sabbaticals for corporate and non-academic jobs. The purpose of this study is to learn more about the history and aims of workplace sabbaticals, to better understand the elements of sabbatical programs that are likely to inform their effectiveness, and to develop propositions for future research on workplace sabbaticals. The study starts with a review of the existing literature on workplace sabbaticals. Then, it examines the structural parameters of sabbaticals offered by 103 employers (e.g., purpose, length, eligibility, compensation, training and preparation, acceptable use of time during sabbatical, intended benefits, return on investment). Finally, using literature on stress, recovery and creativity, and corporate social responsibility, I develop propositions for future research into corporate sabbatical programs.
Honors Thesis Committee
Tracy Griggs, Ph.D; Melissa Carsten, Ph.D; and Darren Ritzer, Ph.D
Start Date
20-4-2018 1:15 PM
Workplace Sabbaticals: A History, Current Practice, and Propositions for Future Research
West 219
According to the Society for Human Resource Management, approximately 17% of companies in 2017 reported having some form of sabbatical program as a part of their benefits packages. However, to date, there is very little research on the topic of workplace sabbaticals for corporate and non-academic jobs. The purpose of this study is to learn more about the history and aims of workplace sabbaticals, to better understand the elements of sabbatical programs that are likely to inform their effectiveness, and to develop propositions for future research on workplace sabbaticals. The study starts with a review of the existing literature on workplace sabbaticals. Then, it examines the structural parameters of sabbaticals offered by 103 employers (e.g., purpose, length, eligibility, compensation, training and preparation, acceptable use of time during sabbatical, intended benefits, return on investment). Finally, using literature on stress, recovery and creativity, and corporate social responsibility, I develop propositions for future research into corporate sabbatical programs.
