Still think flexibility offerings like sabbaticals don’t have a place in an economic downturn? Think again.
As job loss numbers continue to increase, 94% of employees say they’re willing to change their schedule or cut their salary to avoid layoffs – with 31% saying they would take an unpaid sabbatical. That’s according to the 2009 Annual Work+Life FitTM Reality Check, a telephone survey of a national probability sample of 757 full-time employed adults, sponsored by Work+Life Fit, Inc.
The survey finds that, even in the economic downturn, most companies continue to offer the same or an increased amount of opportunities, and most employees reported their flexibility use has either increased or stayed the same during the past year.
Even in a weak economy, businesses compete for talent. And great recessionary workplaces are more productive than average recessionary workplaces.
Here are a few unrelated headlines from the sabbatical newsdesk: 
- Intel employee writes a book on his sabbatical. Clay Breshears spent his eight-week leave finishing his book, “The Art of Concurrency”. Way to go, Clay!
- Gap year travel in the UK is up 50%, according to the Press Association. Will American students follow suit?
- Fifth-year lawyer negotiates a volunteer sabbatical. Myles Solomon, a 32-year-old lawyer in San Francisco, negotiated a three-month sabbatical from his 19-lawyer firm, Bassi Edlin, which doesn’t officially offer sabbaticals. He leaves June 4th for Uganda, where he’ll be volunteering.
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Continuing the Discussion
[...] • 59% would take a furlough (1-2 weeks unpaid leave) • 47% would work reduced hours with reduced pay • 41% would be willing to take a pay cut but work the same hours • 31% would take an unpaid sabbatical [...]