Rolled out in 2007 along with a personal sabbatical program, General Mills’ “Innovation Sabbatical” is only offered to members of the company’s “Innovation, Technology and Quality” organization, which is comprised of employees in roles related to research and development, nutrition, quality and engineering. After 7 years of service, these employees may apply for an Innovation Sabbatical that is fully paid for up to 12 months. Expenses related to the sabbatical are also paid.

The following are highlights from a recent discussion about General Mills’ Innovation Sabbatical between yourSABBATICAL’s Elizabeth Pagano and Sandy Haddad, Manager of Flexibility & Inclusion at General Mills and the new overseer of the company’s sabbatical offerings. Haddad was on the HR committee that developed the program.

Q: Tell me a little more about the eligibility requirements for your Innovation Sabbatical.

A: We’re looking for people who have proven their strong performance and have deep experience at General Mills. It’s a reward. We have a steering committee that reviews all of the proposals that come in and makes the decision of who is approved to take an innovation sabbatical, based on how the applicants’ requests meet the criteria of the program.  The steering committee includes the most senior, influential leaders in the group, including the senior vice president who heads the Innovation Technology and Quality organization. Before rolling out the Innovation Sabbatical, we had those folks out in front of employees talking about the program, how it relates to our innovation strategy, and why we’re excited about it.

Q: Briefly, what is the process for applying?

A: We have an online form that can be filled out and turned in to anyone on the committee.

Q: How many have applied since the program’s inception in 2007?

A: Roughly 15.

Q: Is there a cap?

A: No. We are targeting about two per year.

Q: How many people have been on an Innovation Sabbatical so far, and what kinds of things did they do?

A: Five employees have taken Innovation Sabbaticals. They fall into two categories: one category is very science based around product development, coming up with new, proprietary opportunities and solutions around nutrition; the second category is more about organizational capabilities which are not specific to one product but will have implications across the company’s portfolio of brands and businesses. For example, one person really focused on using social media and networking to expand our innovation capabilities. He brought back a very robust understanding of the social media landscape, the potential, and how to leverage it internally and externally. While on sabbatical, he worked in another organization – not a competitor – that was also interested in learning more about social media…so he had a playground of sorts and also spent time benchmarking across a broad array of organizations. Another employee partnered with a higher education institution for his sabbatical. And another person worked with a small organization that General Mills is already partnering with to expand our contacts with leading-edge innovators; with this particular organization’s network we went from having a network of a handful to a network of more than 100 innovators around the world who we can tap into.

Q: What kinds of business outcomes have you observed from this program?

A: Culturally, it has really reinforced the commitment we have to people, innovation, and experimentation. We didn’t  want people to get stuck thinking “Well, what if my idea doesn’t work?” People needed to know that we want them to go way outside the box and that failure is a possibility but we won’t look at it as failure. From an individual stand point, the impact has been huge. Personal learning, confidence, and development have been evident. And these individuals were also able to build their external network more, which feeds right into innovation. Also, they’ve had unique opportunities to interact more frequently with the senior leadership of the organization..

Q: How is this program perceived within General Mills?

A: Very well. Those who’ve done it come back refreshed, energized, and are bringing back great innovation to General Mills. The biggest challenge was convincing people that we really mean it and to go for it. We said “Don’t let your own mental barriers stop you from going for it.”

Q: How is work coverage handled? Is there a specific process or does it depend on unit/team?

A: Many employees at General Mills have rotational assignments, and Innovation Sabbaticals are targeted to occur at the end of a rotation, when a different employee would be taking over the position either way.

Q: What are some of the expectations of an employee who is accepted for an Innovation Sabbatical?

A: Part of the application process – but it’s also up to the person’s manager – is to ensure that before leaving, the employee is clear on what the objectives are and how they’ll be evaluated. We do tie the sabbatical in to the employee’s performance rating and layout the expectation that when they come back, they’ll present what they learned  to people throughout the organization – not just in one presentation or paper. For example, the person who worked on social media while on sabbatical is still working on tying it back to the organization. He’s considered an internal consultant on social media.

Q: How do you think your sabbatical program(s) contributes to GMI’s “best company” status?

A: It’s rather unique to go out on a paid sabbatical. And since we’ve increased the duration from 6 to 12 months, it’s a generous and exciting program that complements all we’re doing around flexibility, while also promoting innovation… and that’s a company that I want to work for. We  truly trust and empower employees to experiment and dig deep into topics about which they are passionate. This benefits them from a development and satisfaction standpoint, and it has a tremendous benefit on our business.

Deloitte's Jessica Muhlenberg

What company launches a two-tiered sabbatical program in a down economy?  Deloitte does!  And with great success, I learned yesterday when I got an update from Jessica Muhlenberg, Senior Manager of Benefits.

A previous post described the kick-off of Deloitte’s two sabbatical offerings for US employees:

1.  Four weeks of unpaid and unrestricted time off. Offered to any employee who has given at least six months of continuous service and has good performance ratings.

2.  Three to six months of time off to pursue career development or volunteer experiences. Offered to high performers who have been with the company for at least two years, this sabbatical offering comes with 40% of base salary.

In June 2009, Muhlenberg reported that the company had received seven applications, one approved, and lots of interest. That was a nice beginning for what was to come.  So far, 50 employees have gone on sabbatical!

Here are the highlights of the conversation with Jessica:

• Of the 50 employees who have gone on sabbatical, 40 experienced the one-month sabbatical and 10 utilized the longer sabbatical of 3-6 months.
• Deloitte is especially pleased with participation since the program crosses all business units – tax, audit, accountancy, etc.
• A best practice has been established for asking their Talent Delivery folks to be open-minded when considering whether a proposed activity for a 3-6 month sabbatical would meet the requirement for career development or volunteerism. “We didn’t want to provide a specific definition of what would or would not qualify for the sabbatical,” explained Muhlenberger. That’s great thinking, because there are SO many possibilities.
• Deloitte has experienced  few challenges with program; doesn’t plan to make any changes; and wants to continue to focus keeping participation high.
• Featured sabbatical stories on the company’s very active intranet lets employees know how others are utilizing their sabbatical experiences and creates interest.

Jessica provided a thoughtful, no-nonsense answer for my last question, “What’s the best business outcome  for Deloitte?” She said: That it continues to be perceived positively as part of the Total Rewards Program; that it continues good success as a viable option for employees at Deloitte who want to step out.

1. Four weeks of unpaid and unrestricted time off. Offered to any employee who has given at least six months of continuous service and has good performance ratings.
2. Three to six months of time off to pursue career development or volunteer experiences. Offered to high performers who have been with the company for at least two years, this sabbatical offering comes with 40% of base salary.

Jessica Muhlenberg, Senior Manager of Benefits at Deloitte, says that the sabbatical programs will benefit the firm with recruitment and retention of high performers, employee satisfaction and in having refreshed employees.

Sabbaticals also align with Deloitte’s culture and values. “We wanted to offer a program that would enhance our career customization offerings and emphasize our commitment to career-life fit,” Muhlenberg says.

Employees may apply for either sabbatical by application, and must document how their work will be covered while they are away.

“We’re also expecting that when employees come back, they’ll document their experience and share what they learn,” Muhlenberg says.

Stay tuned for inspiring and interesting sabbatical stories from Deloitte employees. In the meantime, our hats are off to Deloitte for designing not one but two ways its staff can step out and step up in their careers.

Tamara Markham

program at Hotel Equities has become a “big performance motivator” and talent developer.

Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with the hotel management and consulting company’s director of operations, Tamara Markham, to discuss Atlanta-based Hotel Equities’ sabbatical program, which is offered to all hotel general managers and corporate management staff after every 5 years of service. They get 90 days’ paid of unrestricted time. The company has almost 700 employees.

Hotel managers begin planning their work coverage about two years out from their sabbatical departure date, and the coverage is a highly-regarded opportunity. “We have promoted people who have successfully covered a sabbatical,” Markham says. “It’s a chance for them to show their stripes.”

It’s also a true test of how the general manager has been doing. How well the hotel performs while they’re away is a good performance indicator. Three things are measured before a hotel manager can ever step away on sabbatical: hotel profitability; guest satisfaction; and associate satisfaction.

Markham attributes the company’s low-low turnover rate (less than 1% in 10 years at corporate and less than 5% with hotel general managers) to the sabbatical program. “Who doesn’t want to work for a company that offers this?” she asks. “We say up front, ‘You’re going to work very hard here’, and this program helps us work harder and smarter in the five years in between our sabbaticals.”

When employees return from sabbatical, they’re required to share the story of their experience. “It’s very much a part of our culture and our company’s story.”

CEO Fred Cerrone’s reason for implementing the program was highlighted in a New York Times article. While on a humanitarian trip to rural India more than a decade ago, his life was threatened by people who opposed his efforts. “My life passed before me, and I thought of things I would want to do differently,” Cerrone told the Times. More time with his family hit the top of his list, and he decided that, should he survive the threat to his life, he would figure out how to allow his managers to spend significant time with their families, too. The sabbatical program was born.

Cerrone’s belief in the value of the program is evident. Participation is compulsory, and managers are forced to completely disconnect (no company phones or email allowed) while away.

During their sabbaticals, employees are not allowed to have any contact with the company (their BlackBerries are taken away), because ARCO wants to make sure its employees experience the benefits of truly disconnecting. “People at ARCO work very long, hard hours, and this is a way to give back and allow them to recharge,” says the firm’s head of HR, Beth Hunter.

The program is a “huge retention tool” and a morale booster, Hunter says. “Associates feel appreciated for the work that they do, and they know that we care about them.”

Upon return to work, ARCO employees are expected to write up a story of their sabbatical experience, which goes in the company newsletter and is framed and displayed on ARCO’s walls. The company also sends a blow-up version to the employee’s home, as a gift.

ARCO is one of the few companies in its industry to offer sabbaticals, and the travel bonus is rare in any industry. Hats off to ARCO.

Anyone know of other construction firms that offer sabbaticals?

Instead of only one sabbatical program, why not two? General Mills offers its employees:

A personal sabbatical. After seven years of service, employees who have at least a “satisfactory” performance rating can apply to take an unpaid leave of 4-12 weeks to go and do whatever they need or desire to do. Individuals must apply at least three months in advance so that proper work coverage can be planned.

An “Innovation Sabbatical”. After seven years of service, high potentials and/or high performing employees may apply to take a paid leave of up to six months to go and do something (i.e. research) that allows them to bring new ideas and new innovation back to the organization.

I spoke with General Mills’ VP of HR, Sandy Ohlsson, who designed the two programs for the company. After several months of research and gathering benchmarking data, the company decided on their two-pronged approach. The personal sabbatical rolled out last year, and the innovation one is being piloted this year in the organization’s technology group and will be rolled out organization-wide in 2009.

The personal sabbatical is intentionally “reason-blind,” Sandy says. “We want people to feel totally okay requesting the time off, without feeling like they have to justify it. Our overall objective with that sabbatical program was retention, so we felt that it was very important for us to give people a chance to do whatever it is they want to do – recharge their batteries, spend a summer with their children, or hike the Himalayas – without having to leave the company altogether.”

The Innovation Sabbatical, on the other hand, was designed to reinforce a cultural message within General Mills. “Innovation is a very critical strategic thrust within our organization,” Sandy says. Upon return from an Innovation Sabbatical, employees are expected impart to their colleagues the knowledge they’ve gained.

With both sabbatical programs, the break from day-to-day work is key. “We perceive taking a break as a contribution to this organization, because we believe that people who are energized, recharged and feeling great about the company will be better performers.”

Hats off to General Mills. No wonder the company is on the 2007 “100 Best Companies to Work For” list. Does anyone know of other companies that offer more than one kind of sabbatical?