While sabbaticals are being promoted as a way to achieve work-life balance and improve employee well-being, experts believe UAE companies are still at least five years away from offering such extended breaks to their employees.
Sabbaticals give workers a chance to take an extended break to learn a new skill, write a book, or travel the world. This chance to recharge and explore can work wonders for overall well-being and sense of purpose, experts told Arabian Business.
The pursuit of success can often come at the expense of personal well-being, especially in highly competitive and fast-paced environments like the UAE.
As companies across the globe grapple with the challenge of retaining top talent and fostering a healthy work-life balance, the idea of offering sabbaticals to employees is gaining traction. Additionally, UAE expats are shifting their perspective on their tenure, with many considering retiring or staying longer-term compared to before.
But are sabbaticals a viable solution, and are UAE companies ready to embrace this historically unconventional approach?
Proponents of sabbaticals argue that these extended periods of leave can have a profound impact on employee well-being, particularly in a city like Dubai, where the fast-paced lifestyle can often take a toll.
Natasha Hatherall-Shawe, Founder of Dubai-based PR and marketing firm TishTash, believes that sabbaticals should be an option for companies to keep staff “happy, healthy, and motivated.”
“Personally as an employer, I’d rather keep a good employee in my business by allowing them a period of time off, than lose them,” she told Arabian Business.
“I don’t know about you, but we do live such a fast-paced life here that generally I only feel the benefit of time off and a holiday when I am coming home as it takes me a while to switch off and de-stress,” Hatherall-Shawe said.
“If we had an option to take a longer period off work, then it may help many of us with our health, supporting with stress and reducing burnout, which is a major issue today.”
Ewan Walton, Senior Business Director at Hays’ Executive Search division, echoes this sentiment, emphasising the long-term benefits for both employees and organisations.
“Sabbaticals not only demonstrate an employer’s commitment to employee well-being but also provide opportunities for unique social experiences beyond typical vacations,” he said.
At Hays, employees with two or more years of tenure can take a two-month sabbatical. Walton believes this helped nurture growth within the company and foster a culture of innovation.
Valuing employees based on potential, not output
But beyond the obvious well-being benefits, sabbaticals can also serve as a catalyst for innovation and fresh perspectives within companies. Walton suggests that giving employees the opportunity to take sabbaticals can directly benefit companies by allowing top performers to recharge, stay motivated, and strive for the best possible results.
“Sabbaticals provide a structured opportunity for employees to step away, rejuvenate, and return with fresh perspectives and innovative ideas,” Walton explained. “This can lead to achieving change objectives and innovation aspirations, which often occur from within the organisation.
While the potential benefits of sabbaticals are clear, their implementation in the UAE context presents unique challenges. Hima Mammen, a Counseling Psychologist at the Human Relations Institute and Clinics (HRIC), acknowledges that while many organisations promote work-life harmony, the benefits of sabbaticals are not fully understood and are rarely explored.
“Paid sabbaticals are fairly rare. Hence, the individual needs to consider multiple factors before choosing the same, such as financial preparedness and if it’s the right time,” Mammen said.
“Organisations who consider paid sabbaticals value their employees; not just their output, but the future potential for both the individual and the organisation.”
Nuances of the UAE workforce make it difficult to offer sabbaticals
However, it is more complicated than that. The UAE workforce is unique when compared to other markets globally. The majority of the workforce is made up of expats who are on employment visas, making it challenging to achieve the level of workplace stability and long tenures typically associated with sabbatical eligibility.
“In most of the world, the majority of those in the workforce are permanent residents and likely to stay in that country for most of their careers, even when they’re out of work,” Mohammad Osama, co-founder of GCC recruitment firm GRG, told Arabian Business.
Sabbaticals tend to be offered to those who have had a long, successful tenure in a company and are recognised by leadership.
The UAE workforce is comprised of 80 percent expats. Before Golden Visas were introduced, this meant that the expat workforce would need a visa, sponsored by their employer, to stay in the country.
“Workplace stability with long tenures has historically been difficult to achieve in a country like UAE,” Osama explained.
“The UAE has one of the best ‘Value Propositions’ globally as a destination to live and work in. This means that there is talent from all over the world that is willing to come in and fill any voids available. That added competition, therefore, means that one has to be extremely invaluable to their employer to be offered a sabbatical.”
The government has however implemented various positive initiatives to provide companies with a platform to thrive long-term and created a highly attractive quality of life such that the vast majority of the workforce is not looking to go back to their home countries.
“[This] should help to create the longevity of tenures that would facilitate the conditions for employers to consider sabbaticals. Realistically speaking, I do think we are perhaps 5 to 10 years away before this becomes commonplace,” he added.
Agreeing with his sentiment was Danielle Smith, Dubai-based Leadership and Positive Psychology Coach, who believes that while sabbaticals can be cost-effective for companies, the “nuance of the local market makes them harder to implement.”
“Some studies suggest that sabbaticals may assist companies with short-term discal imbalances. In a highly seasonal market like Dubai, this effect could be magnified, for example, allowing some staff a sabbatical during quieter periods,” she added.
A holistic approach?
While the debate around sabbaticals continues, experts suggest that companies should adopt a holistic approach to employee well-being, considering sabbaticals as part of a broader set of benefits and initiatives.
“Sabbaticals should be considered as part of a holistic set of benefits offered to employees, extending holiday allowances, allowing more work/life flexibility and corporate away days have all shown similarly positive effects to morale and employee well-being, for example,” said Danielle Smith.
She also emphasised the importance of implementing consistent policies and avoiding any perception of favouritism or inconsistency in the implementation of sabbaticals or other well-being initiatives.
As the UAE continues to position itself as a hub for global talent and a leader in innovation, the conversation around employee well-being and the potential role of sabbaticals is likely to gain momentum. While the implementation may present challenges, the potential benefits for both employees and companies cannot be ignored.
“Considering if a sabbatical is the right choice for you and knowing if it is the right time is key to making the most of it,” Mammen advised.
“If someone in your team were to ask for an extended duration of leave, how would you accommodate this? Would you be able to identify someone on your team who probably needs a sabbatical?”
In a competitive and rapidly evolving business landscape, companies that prioritise employee well-being and embrace innovative approaches like sabbaticals may gain a significant advantage in attracting and retaining top talent.
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