Worcester Business Journal

Once seen exclusively as part of the higher education industry, sabbaticals are becoming increasingly common among business executives Time away from work PHOTO | GRANT WELKER BY SARA BEDIGIAN WBJ Editorial Intern A er nine years leading Worcester nonprofit sup- port center Abby's House as executive director, Stephanie Page le her position and pursued an independently funded year-long sabbatical. During her time away, she stepped back and got distance from work to reflect, reconnect, and replenish herself, including by traveling internationally and developing healthier lifestyle prac- tices. Page reflected and gained clarity and new perspectives on her work and life, she said. She took time to strengthen her relationships and spend time with friends, family, and people in her local community, as well as expanding her cir- cle of connections through networking. "I met a lot of new people, which was a really wonderful and sort of unexpect- ed part of the sabbatical year," she said. Long seen as a practice limited to higher education, sabbaticals across all industries are becoming more common, as companies see the value in business executives taking time away from their jobs to focus on professional and per- sonal development. An extended leave enables people to find their identities and focus on personal health, something they can not do in shorter chunks of time off, said DJ DiDonna, lecturer at Harvard Business School in Boston and founder of the Sabbatical Project, a nonprofit conduct- ing research on sabbaticals. "Out of all the hundreds of people who [I have spoken to] that have taken a sabbatical, I have never heard anyone regret doing it," DiDonna said. Sabbaticals, on the rise In January, 6.7% of employees nationally were on sabbatical, which is double the 2019 rate, according to data from Gusto, a California-based company providing payroll and human resource management to businesses. e data showed younger generations taking more sabbaticals, as 8% of workers aged 22 to 26 were on sabbatical, a stark con- trast from the 1.7% in 2019. Professionals in private, public, and nonprofit organizations across the U.S. who took sabbatical found significant- ly positive changes in their work-life balance, according to a study by the Harvard Business Review. ere are different types of sabbatical leaves, as some decide to return to their job, while others change career paths. Some sabbatical leaves are paid for by companies, while others privately fund their sabbaticals. During her sabbatical, Page traveled abroad to Italy and Ireland, which she said exposed her to new cultures and ideas while visiting family. In addition, she rested and solidified healthy lifestyle practices, such as personal training, yoga, and meditation. "As part of replenishment, I had time to really organize my personal life in ways that I hadn't had time for," she said. Following a sabbatical, some people may decide to go in a different direction for their careers, but for Page it affirmed her career interests in nonprofit and public leadership, which she intends to return to aer her sabbatical, although she will not return to Abby's House. "It renewed my confidence in my leadership, and really has given me more focus and energy to return to work with. I also want to say that my plan is to continue the healthy lifestyle practices that I solidified during my sabbatical, and also use that to better support the well being and health of other people in the workplace," Page said. Impact on businesses While sabbaticals were oen only taken by those working in academia, an increasing number of non-educators are taking sabbaticals. An extended break from one's job has become more appealing to employees, and the number of employers offering sabbaticals has grown, said DiDonna. Regardless of sabbaticals, one of the only constants in business is people will leave companies, DiDonna said. A sabbatical gives an organization the opportunity to practice transferring job responsibilities and understanding what people want in their careers, which all businesses need to prioritize, he said. When people take sabbaticals offered by their companies, 80% of people re- turn to their job, according to DiDonna's research. Stephanie Page took a sabbatical after her tenure as Abby's House executive di- rector and reaffirmed her commitment to the nonprofit industry. 10 Worcester Business Journal | September 2, 2024 | wbjournal.com

• Cover