Sabbatical programs becoming valuable way to retain employees.

Business Insurance, June, 2001 by Bradford, Michael

Letting employees go for a while can be a great way to keep them. While the number of companies that offer sabbaticals remains low, those that do offer time away from work are finding that employees return from such leave with a deeper commitment to their jobs. There also is the added bonus of increased morale and productivity.

And happier workers produce satisfied customers, experts agree. ``We're finding more interest in the whole scheme of alternative work arrangements,'' said Julie Peterson, an organizational effectiveness consultant in Watson Wyatt Worldwide's human capital group in Minneapolis. Sabbaticals are ``one part of the scheme'' and have been found to enhance employee commitment to employers, she added. ``Certainly, many employers are looking...

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