
Ask HN: Lately lots of employees are asking for sabbatical year off - xstartup
We&#x27;ve one 20 person company and 10 of them asked for a year off. Now, if we actually give them a year off, it will take 10 years for the last person to get any year off at all. How are you guys managing it?
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brudgers
[random remarks from the internet]

It's only 20 people. The company culture is such that sabbaticals are
available. Ten simultaneous sabbaticals is everyone's problem because: those
that aren't taking a sabbatical will get short changed in terms of time away
_and_ more work. Those that take a sabbatical may not have a company to come
back to a year later.

My first thought is to get everyone together and describe the situation: ten
people want sabbaticals next year; it is a potential problem for the company;
and everyone together can seek something equitable and acceptable and
reasonable that will work over the short and medium terms.

My gut is that among the ten people seeking sabbatical, some are not certain
they will return. That is the second part...meeting with each person
individually to discuss the reasons they are asking for a sabbatical _now_.
Was there a deathmarch to release? Are they unfulfilled? Is it something that
can wait a year? Are just toying with the idea of a sabbatical?

Good luck

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Davidbrcz
It depends on what they intend to do with that year off.

If they want to travel, they need to be completely off and you can grant it to
some people.

If they want to work on some side project, then say no to some of them but
propose a part-time job (work 2 or 3 days a week). Make sure to explain _why_
you are saying no (can not afford to give half the staff a year off).

