IT IS known as the gap year for grown-ups - a breather from the rat race. And the best part is, you get to keep your job.
This is the time-out from work called a sabbatical - the holy grail of usually long-serving executives who crave a little perspective and a radically different life - for a while.
And no, it is not a religious holiday. But in many ways, a sabbatical can recharge your spiritual and physical batteries, break up the routine nature of your life, and empower you with more energy and motivation when you do return to your career.
Chances are, you've heard of it before, but have not seen it widely practised. The good news is, human resources (HR) consultancies in Singapore say there is a growing trend of employees seeking such sabbaticals, and firms granting them.
A sabbatical, essentially, is a mutual agreement between you and your employer, in which you are granted extended leave.
It could range from a couple of months to as long as a year, either paid or unpaid - and is outside of your normal annual leave entitlements.
Some common reasons for wanting the time off are a desire to travel, rest, pursue further education, spend time with the family, or just simply to re-evaluate life priorities, said Ms Joanne Chua, manager of Robert Walters' HR recruitment division.
While she notes that people who seek such time-outs are usually in their 30s, other consultants say it can be taken by someone of any age. What is more important is their years of service.
HR consultancy Robert Half's Singapore managing director Tim Hird points out that employees who have a good track record in performance and quantum of service tend to fare better in getting sabbaticals, where their job is kept for them while they are away.
"If someone has worked in a firm for say, 10 years, the sabbatical is generally approved. It's a good staff retention tool. It's a bit like getting a bonus - but you have to earn it," he said.
Unpaid leave is the most common. Paid sabbaticals are rare but they do exist, he said. For example, US technology firms like Microsoft, Adobe and Autodesk, do give executives paid leave of up to eight weeks, he added.
The benefits of taking a sabbatical are well-documented. Companies which have sabbatical policies - and they are usually multi-national companies (MNCs) - claim it is a great way to retain staff, boost productivity and provide opportunities for new challenges and growth for their employees.
Hewitt Singapore's compensation and benefits leader Samir Bedi said employees tend to come back to work with more well-rounded personalities, renewed enthusiasm and energy.
But taking unpaid leave is not all a bed of roses.
Some drawbacks that consultants highlight are: Missing out on developments in the industry, potential loss of business deals and revenue, and also, competition from rivals who will take the opportunity to build relationships with clients during your absence.
In addition, while some firms may be open-minded about sabbaticals, this is not true across all industries.
Robert Walters' Ms Chua says: "I wouldn't say this is frowned upon in Singapore but neither is it generally accepted. It is more common in Europe and the States."
Taking sabbatical leave is something fairly new in Asia, and challenging for employers as they have to find a replacement to take over someone's duties.
"Taking unpaid leave is particularly challenging in sales jobs," she added. Also, the company may have evolved while you are away and the role may no longer exist.
Sabbaticals tend to be more common for certain professions, for example, in the academic field.
Lecturers, for example, are usually granted sabbaticals to further their own goals after a number of years in tenure.
One teacher, Ms Ng Yilan, 26, said she is already contemplating a sabbatical in a couple of years.
"Many of my colleagues have requested and got them. It's a way to prevent us teachers from burning out," she said.
In other sectors, especially for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), there is more of a stigma attached to extended time-outs.
Senior HR manager Ko Lay Tin told The Straits Times that her firm - a mainboard- listed SME - does not approve unpaid leave unless there is a very strong reason, such as further education, to learn relevant skills, or for health reasons.
"For smaller firms, it's a challenge to find someone to take over certain duties. Even if we engage temporary staff, they face a steep learning curve," she said.
Mr Darren Ellis, 34, who has worked in Singapore the last four years, also agrees that it is easier to take unpaid leave if you work in an MNC, which is more likely to have the resources to manage the absence of one member of staff.
"I do think sabbaticals are a great idea - provided they're not abused. They must be taken for the right reasons," he added.
Some questions that consultants say employees should consider when thinking about sabbaticals are:
Can you afford to take unpaid leave? For how long?
Can your work be covered during your absence?
Will your long-term absence affect clients or suppliers?
Can you commit to coming back to the same job?
Then there is also the matter of what you should do on your sabbatical.
Travelling is a popular option, and many professionals may even experience life-changing encounters that equip them with a broader perspective on life and the business world when they return to work.
There are some websites, such as www.realgap.co.uk, which offer paid work abroad, or volunteer programmes where individuals can go to a foreign destination to do something radically different.
Of course, there is also the option of furthering the skills in your field, for example, by applying for a professional fellowship abroad related to your job.
The possibilities are endless and the world is your oyster. And the good news is, companies in today's world face a serious shortage of specialised talent, said Mr Hird.
"HR and employment policies can, and have to be, creative to suit the demands of the individuals," he said.
People seeking sabbaticals are prepared to make sacrifices professionally, or take risks, to provide for their own long-term well-being, he added.
It is no wonder that many companies now realise that one way of keeping the brightest in their employ is to let go of them for a while.
This is the time-out from work called a sabbatical - the holy grail of usually long-serving executives who crave a little perspective and a radically different life - for a while.
And no, it is not a religious holiday. But in many ways, a sabbatical can recharge your spiritual and physical batteries, break up the routine nature of your life, and empower you with more energy and motivation when you do return to your career.
Chances are, you've heard of it before, but have not seen it widely practised. The good news is, human resources (HR) consultancies in Singapore say there is a growing trend of employees seeking such sabbaticals, and firms granting them.
A sabbatical, essentially, is a mutual agreement between you and your employer, in which you are granted extended leave.
It could range from a couple of months to as long as a year, either paid or unpaid - and is outside of your normal annual leave entitlements.
Some common reasons for wanting the time off are a desire to travel, rest, pursue further education, spend time with the family, or just simply to re-evaluate life priorities, said Ms Joanne Chua, manager of Robert Walters' HR recruitment division.
While she notes that people who seek such time-outs are usually in their 30s, other consultants say it can be taken by someone of any age. What is more important is their years of service.
HR consultancy Robert Half's Singapore managing director Tim Hird points out that employees who have a good track record in performance and quantum of service tend to fare better in getting sabbaticals, where their job is kept for them while they are away.
"If someone has worked in a firm for say, 10 years, the sabbatical is generally approved. It's a good staff retention tool. It's a bit like getting a bonus - but you have to earn it," he said.
Unpaid leave is the most common. Paid sabbaticals are rare but they do exist, he said. For example, US technology firms like Microsoft, Adobe and Autodesk, do give executives paid leave of up to eight weeks, he added.
The benefits of taking a sabbatical are well-documented. Companies which have sabbatical policies - and they are usually multi-national companies (MNCs) - claim it is a great way to retain staff, boost productivity and provide opportunities for new challenges and growth for their employees.
Hewitt Singapore's compensation and benefits leader Samir Bedi said employees tend to come back to work with more well-rounded personalities, renewed enthusiasm and energy.
But taking unpaid leave is not all a bed of roses.
Some drawbacks that consultants highlight are: Missing out on developments in the industry, potential loss of business deals and revenue, and also, competition from rivals who will take the opportunity to build relationships with clients during your absence.
In addition, while some firms may be open-minded about sabbaticals, this is not true across all industries.
Robert Walters' Ms Chua says: "I wouldn't say this is frowned upon in Singapore but neither is it generally accepted. It is more common in Europe and the States."
Taking sabbatical leave is something fairly new in Asia, and challenging for employers as they have to find a replacement to take over someone's duties.
"Taking unpaid leave is particularly challenging in sales jobs," she added. Also, the company may have evolved while you are away and the role may no longer exist.
Sabbaticals tend to be more common for certain professions, for example, in the academic field.
Lecturers, for example, are usually granted sabbaticals to further their own goals after a number of years in tenure.
One teacher, Ms Ng Yilan, 26, said she is already contemplating a sabbatical in a couple of years.
"Many of my colleagues have requested and got them. It's a way to prevent us teachers from burning out," she said.
In other sectors, especially for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), there is more of a stigma attached to extended time-outs.
Senior HR manager Ko Lay Tin told The Straits Times that her firm - a mainboard- listed SME - does not approve unpaid leave unless there is a very strong reason, such as further education, to learn relevant skills, or for health reasons.
"For smaller firms, it's a challenge to find someone to take over certain duties. Even if we engage temporary staff, they face a steep learning curve," she said.
Mr Darren Ellis, 34, who has worked in Singapore the last four years, also agrees that it is easier to take unpaid leave if you work in an MNC, which is more likely to have the resources to manage the absence of one member of staff.
"I do think sabbaticals are a great idea - provided they're not abused. They must be taken for the right reasons," he added.
Some questions that consultants say employees should consider when thinking about sabbaticals are:
Can you afford to take unpaid leave? For how long?
Can your work be covered during your absence?
Will your long-term absence affect clients or suppliers?
Can you commit to coming back to the same job?
Then there is also the matter of what you should do on your sabbatical.
Travelling is a popular option, and many professionals may even experience life-changing encounters that equip them with a broader perspective on life and the business world when they return to work.
There are some websites, such as www.realgap.co.uk, which offer paid work abroad, or volunteer programmes where individuals can go to a foreign destination to do something radically different.
Of course, there is also the option of furthering the skills in your field, for example, by applying for a professional fellowship abroad related to your job.
The possibilities are endless and the world is your oyster. And the good news is, companies in today's world face a serious shortage of specialised talent, said Mr Hird.
"HR and employment policies can, and have to be, creative to suit the demands of the individuals," he said.
People seeking sabbaticals are prepared to make sacrifices professionally, or take risks, to provide for their own long-term well-being, he added.
It is no wonder that many companies now realise that one way of keeping the brightest in their employ is to let go of them for a while.
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