Since March of 2020, workers have placed increased levels of importance on their mental health. One key way they are prioritizing their mental health is by maintaining a better work life balance. We already know that workers, particularly younger workers, are taking more sick time than they were pre-pandemic. Another sign of this shift over the past four years has been an increase in the frequency of workers taking sabbaticals or extended periods of time away from work.
Platform data from Gusto’s 300,000+ small and mid-sized businesses shows a substantial increase in the share of workers taking sabbaticals since 2019. In January 2024, 0.141% of all employees were on a sabbatical. While the trend is evident across employees of all age groups, it is most pronounced among younger millennial workers.
In January 2024, Younger Millennial workers were the most likely age group to take a sabbatical, with 0.19% of workers aged 27-34 were out on a sabbatical. In comparison, just 0.11% of workers aged 45 to 59 were out on a sabbatical in January 2024.
Increases in sabbatical leaves have been primarily driven by 27-34 year olds
Anecdotally, of all age groups, younger workers tend to more openly demand flexibility, including remote work and more time off to nurture their mental and emotional well-being – a likely reason why more workers in this age group are taking sabbaticals. As this younger cohort of workers continues to advance in their careers and take up a larger share of the labor force, we are likely to see the share of workers taking sabbaticals increase as well.
When looking at gender, women are more likely to take sabbatical time off than men – which differs from parental time off. In January 2024, 0.15% of women were on a sabbatical compared to 0.13% of men – a difference of nearly 15%.
Though still a rarity in the workplace, the trend is clear. Workers are coming to value extended time off as a workplace benefit, allowing them to recharge, relax, or pursue personal interests. Employers can expect workers to ask about this as a possibility, and employers who can accommodate those requests from workers could benefit from increased retention and engagement from their staff.
Methodology
We define an employee likely “on a sabbatical” as a salaried employee with more than 120 hours of paid vacation leave during the prior two months.
This report was edited on 8/27/24 by Gusto's research and data team to correct the share of employees on sabbatical.
