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.

Re-entry took “no more than a day or two” before being up to speed. His work coverage plan allowed for training and development. And he was far more rejuvenated than after his first sabbatical, seven years prior.

Doug and his wife in Hawaii.

Doug credits the success of his second sabbatical with lessons learned from his first. He shared with me his best practices:

1. Make it about succession planning. Start identifying what you do and who you can delegate to as early on as possible. “I started six months in advance,” he says. “The work coverage plan for my second sabbatical was more about succession planning. On my first sabbatical, I didn’t have that consciousness, but you can’t start too early thinking about those things. I’m now 55 and seven years away from retirement. You have to start implementing things well in advance of retirement to make sure it’s a smooth transition.”
2. Colleague partnering is critical. Introduce your colleagues to clients well in advance before leaving on sabbatical. It maintains continuity of service. “When you’re in your year of sabbatical, you really need to take the colleague partnering up to a different level,” Doug says.
3. Tell your clients and prospects that you’ll be taking a break. Promote the fact that you’ll be gone and that your firm supports it. “It’s an incredibly positive message – more so than I would have imagined.”
4. Use your work coverage plan to delegate to bring benefit to your company. “Once you have the list of things you do in your role, go through the list and determine what you can permanently delegate. Then ask yourself, ‘How can I best re-deploy my time for the benefit of the practice?’” Permanent delegation of tasks allowed Doug to do more client interfacing, business development activities and practice planning activities, bringing a higher value to the firm.
5. Earmark some unstructured time. Doug’s first sabbatical was 30 days of travel with only one day to unpack and get the house in order before going back to work. For his second sabbatical, he combined two weeks in Hawaii with two weeks of “staycation”, letting the days unfold and allowing for some quiet time. “I felt mentally and substantially better rested with having some time where I wasn’t dealing with airplanes, travel schedules and being on a schedule.”
6. Disconnect – really. To get the benefits out of a sabbatical – for yourself and for the development of staff – ensure that you fully disconnect. No calling in. No checking emails. “It’s good for you,” Doug says. “It’s at the core of the sabbatical.”

Because Doug did a lot of advance planning and knew what to expect, he experienced far less anxiety about leaving for sabbatical than he did before he took his first work break.

If a sabbatical is in your future, consider Doug’s tips for successful planning and preparation.

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.

Christi Dixon of Standing Partnership

Christi Dixon would be lying if she didn’t admit her company’s sabbatical program has kept her on the job. A vice president at Standing Partnership in St. Louis, Dixon has been recruited by headhunters and business acquaintances, but never gave the offers real consideration.

Standing Partnership’s 24 staff members are eligible for a two month paid sabbatical after seven years of employment. Because a three- to five-year turnover is pretty standard in the communications industry, Dixon said the program gives the firm several extra years to build relationships with its team members.

“It’s a way that Standing says, ‘Hey, I really want to invest in you and give you some refresh and recharge time,” Dixon said. “In a business that relies on creative energy and good ideas, that’s really helpful.”

Dixon is splitting her sabbatical in two, with plans to take one month in November 2009 and the second in June 2010. The first month is just for her; the second for family.

While Dixon is still finalizing her plans, she is looking into urban volunteering and perhaps even a poverty immersion. She plans to visit many of the area’s museums and take advantage of other experiences that are hard to access with kids in tow.

“It’s an opportunity for me to do some things I’ve never had the chance to do,” she said.

In June, Dixon’s kids will be out of school, and she’s planning a month of family time, enrichment activities, and at least one week-long vacation to travel and visit family.

When Dixon talks to other people about her upcoming sabbatical, she says they often want to know where she’ll be teaching or what kind of report she’ll be writing.

“They think of it as an academic sabbatical, and I explain it’s a benefit sabbatical,” she said. “People are really amazed this is truly a benefit sabbatical for you to use how you wish.”

Academic and church organizations have long embraced sabbaticals, and industry is quickly jumping on the bandwagon. And now, the U.S. military may offer sabbaticals, according to an article in the ArmyTimes.

Modeled after sabbaticals in the private sector, the six-year test program would be limited to 60 officers and 60 enlisted members, probably all Navy, who could take up to three years off for personal or professional reasons. When the breaks end, they would restart their careers at their same grade and level of responsibility, and in a similar, if not identical, job.

The program is part of a Pentagon initiative in which a few people would be given the chance to take a break of up to three years in their military careers without penalty. It’s included in two bills currently in front of Congress and is predicted to pass, according to the ArmyTimes.

I’ll refrain from engaging in politics here … but at this moment, at this place … I can’t think of another group of men and women more deserving of a sabbatical.