Why One Company Pays its Employees to Go Away for 3 Weeks
Workaholism runs rampant in our society.
In 2011, the US ranked as the fifth most workaholic country, clocking an average of 1,768 hours per year. Additionally, Americans tend to leave several vacation days on the table — more than a third of workers don't use all their vacation days.
By failing to give themselves a break, workers could actually be hurting their productivity.
Research suggests that time off can boost performance, as it staves off burnout and enhances physical and mental health.
That's why one company offers its employees a three-week paid sabbatical to do whatever they want.
Centro, an advertising software company based in Chicago, rewards employees for their tenure. After four years of service, employees are eligible for their first sabbatical. Then, every fourth year, they can take another one.
In addition to the sabbatical program, Centro offers 10 "Ferris Bueller Days," where employees can choose to take the day off for whatever reason, no questions asked.
"I wanted to build something the right way," founder and CEO Shawn Riegsecker said at a keynote address when talking about Centro's origins. "I firmly believe that we're moving in the world to a place where focusing on the happiness, health, well-being, and fulfillment of your employees is the number one determinant of success."
Riegsecker may be onto something. His startup, which began operating out of another company's server room in 2001 in the River North district of Chicago, has grown into a 600-person agency that has continued to achieve impressive revenue growth.
Much of Centro's success comes from the workplace culture Riegsecker has developed. "There are always going to be problems and rough patches," he said of starting a company. "The culture you've created will determine how you come out of that rough patch, and if your business explodes in a good way or bad way."
The sabbatical program is a crucial component of Centro's culture. People come back from their time off with a deeper appreciation for the company, Riegsecker says.
One such employee is Kris Carter, who started out as a regional salesperson and now oversees sales training development. He took his first sabbatical in 2012 and used it to completely unplug.
"I did the most radical thing a technologically advanced person can do. I gave up technology for three weeks," he tells Business Insider. Carter, whose children were very young at the time, chose not to leave his family for three weeks and travel. Rather, he took the time to meditate, run, journal, and self-reflect.
"After doing all of that self-reflection, I realized that I could design my own path at Centro," he says. "The sabbatical gave me that time to design what my dream career would be at this company, which was overseeing sales training and development. I've been doing that ever since."
Having worked at Centro for eight years, Carter is up for his second three-week sabbatical. In December, he'll be building off his first leave, and will try to live as simply as possible without technology. This time, he's traveling to a carriage house just north of San Diego with meditation gardens and temples across the street and taking the family with him.
源：http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2015/06/15/centro-pays-employees-to-go-away/?SiteID=cbaolcompromotion_june_62&icid=maing-grid7|main5|dl18|sec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D512566985
Believe it or not but there are allot of good companies out there that are great to work for,, and alot that are gone now too,, its sad i like working for allot of them it made you want to go to work at them........ there is a big difference anymore between new management and old management,,,,,, old management looked out for there employee's new management just looks out for the bottom line..
Wow, I've never heard of employees getting vacation time or personal days . zzzzzzz
Are you kidding? This is the way it was before Bush and Cheney decided that corporations should keep all the money, don't pay employees anything, and take away all their benefits. Now, things seem to be getting back on track for EVERYBODY'S American Dream, not just the CEO's and their kids.
darkcloudtonite is probably a Teapublican member of the 2% that thinks workers deserve NOTHING! If you really want to know what happened to your country study History starting with the policies of Nixon and Reagan. Bush and Cheney are the culmination of Reaganism. If you really are interested in doing something for your Country, start with finding how you can help get rid of Citizens United!
If this company struggles, we'll see how liberal they are with the sabbaticals. Either the author is an idiot uninformed journalist or she has never worked a real full time job.
40X52 = 2080 - 6 to 8 holidays - 3 weeks "sabbatical" - 2 weeks (PTO if they have it) = 1816.
On second thought maybe she works for the government. Teachers are always whining about salaries yet are off about 550 to 600 days a year and have retirement plans considerably better than those of us on Social Security.
The average non tax payer funded worker gets standard holidays 6-8-10 (some have 2 to 3 floating holidays) plus 2 to 4 weeks PTO depending on length of service. That's it folks. A vast majority of white collar workers work more than 40 hours on salaries far less than what is misrepresented.
This is why the left keeps voting democrat because there is so much misinformation, reality doesn't seem to be possible these days. Left wing Media and politics relentlessly blame everything on the man (whoever that is).
This is so cool! Companies are finally getting back to treating their employees like they did before Bush and Cheney let their CEO buddies keep all the money. This proves that even corporate greed can't stall the American Dream.
Go back to 1980 and learn what Reagan did to Workers in the US starting with PATCO, who he stabbed in the back after they were the only Union that backed him for President, and the onslaught continued from there. Just ask a Steel Worker from back in the 80's about what he did to their jobs.
Thank you, so much for being such a good employer! Now go out there & teach all these companies in America. How to have a heart, therefore, by treating their employees fairly; it's very good for their company bottom line. Because without good employees many will not be successful today. Once again thank you!
Not to worry Marlene, Obamacare will surely help with that. Many employers are cutting hours to give their employees more time to "recharge". Oh, and also avoid the mandate while they are at it...
Now that most everything has to run 24 hours, there isn't the luxury to send people away for 3 weeks.
The rest of America has to enjoy long overtime, low wages, erratic hours, all 3. You can't even take a job today and assume you will be treated fairly, let alone good. Doesn't happen. They want to rear end you and most likely will.
Enjoy the slavery America!
Workaholism may run rampant in America, but it ain't by choice.
When mom and dad have to work 3 jobs between the two of them just to keep a roof over their heads, food on the table and the heat and lights on, while the kids run amok in the streets, what choice do they have BUT to work like slaves?
Good to know that there are SOME employers who still see their employees as human beings with lives and needs.
How long will it take for FAUX News, CNBC, WSJ, and others to tear this policy apart and condemn the CEO for his actions. The recent commercial for Mercedes is the best example of how the Rich expect their workers to be on the job 24/7/365 just so those workers can own a Mercedes. Don't forget to take your Smart Phone, Tablet, and Laptop on Vacation so you put together meaningless reports and be at the beck and call of your bosses, however; the Daimler employees have freedom from email on vacation with "Mail on Holiday"! AmeriKKKa is now owned by the Rich and they expect to pay NOTHING for everything and to be rewarded just for already being Rich. This is why Wall Street is booming and Main Street is dying.
I guess paid vacations have become so uncommon in this country they are now considered news.
Your assumption is his employees don't get sick days and vacation time. The article does not say that they don't. I got the impression that the Ferris Buelller days were at least additional time off or 10 days PTO. Sabbaticals are common in fields dealing with work requiring creativity and intellect.
You apparently don't know much about work pressures or you would appreciate what this CEO is doing. This is not simply about a paid vacation. Most companies do that. These aren't just paid vacations; these are what would amount to 5 weeks of time off, no questions asked. And money to spend while you are off. To commit to a person to allow them to take 3 consecutive weeks off is a huge deal in many businesses. Most would prefer you break that time up as the company would not want to be without you for that long at a time. And 10 days of to do as you please; most companies call these sick days or holidays and they expect you to be sick when you take off.
Wherever you find the lack of time off, you will almost always find problems. One problem is fear - that some else will be permanently occupying your position when you get back. This is an unprofessional way of firing people, but it happens. As an employer, it could be that you can do just as well if not better without him. And he is not taking a vacation because he does not want you to find that out. Many of the major accounting frauds were first discovered through the sudden forced absence of the fraudster. You might have a few of them going. And if you really can't afford to give an employee time off, he is in a pretty good position to demand a raise from you. It could also be an indication of problems at home.
The customer's allways pay, so, apparently this CEO is able to use available resources to honor employee's which is good as long as the market continues to see the value. If/when that changes what then? Until this is the way it works across all jobs we don't have a system in place that creates the proper incentives to keep good paying jobs in America. From my perspective this is just the HP playing let's pretend competitive market forces aren't in play while the government keeps jacking up the cost to do business in America and squeezing all those who aren't so fortunate (live in the real world).
"Carter, whose children were very young at the time, chose not to leave his family for three weeks and travel."
Who on earth would choose to leave their family and travel when they had time off from work?
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