The number of employers offering sabbaticals has risen exponentially in recent years. Whether or not it’s a bid to boost retention in the wake of Covid and the fabled “Great Resignation”, this is a smart gambit. Paying your employees to take extended time off may force a company’s accountant to sweat, but offering it as a benefit can more than pay off in the long-term. A Harvard Business Review study points to just how beneficial a sabbatical can be on an employee’s mental and physical health, and therefore on overall productivity.
This rise in sabbaticals has coincided with an explosion in demand for eco-tourism; 69 per cent of tourists plan to travel more sustainably throughout 2023. And, as the founder of an educational conservation travel company, I have personally witnessed a spike in the demand for more meaningful, immersive and environmentally positive experiences.
The sabbatical has traditionally been used by mid-career professionals to help them to go deep into their hobbies, reconnect with family and friends, and travel to far-flung, “bucket list” destinations. In short, it was used to rejuvenate.
Read more on sustainable travel:
Yet I’m observing an increasing desire for individuals to ensure that their well-earned time off can have a positive impact on the planet, too.
Citizen Science is one such example. Researchers are often in chronically short supply; allowing travellers and volunteers to collect biological data for research is a lifeline for scientists and NGOs. Whether it’s monitoring wolf populations in Portugal or tracking migration patterns of birds across the Okavango Delta, engaging in citizen science can offer a rare glimpse into the workings of the world’s most fragile yet astonishing ecosystems.
People are increasingly choosing to give back as part of a sabbatical or career break
(Getty Images/iStockphoto)
These experiences can of course be enjoyed within the confines of our annual leave. Yet a week-long experience should only be considered a mere taster, whereas engaging with a conservation project for a full six months to a year is more like a full seven-course meal.
Many of those who have embarked on multi-month experiences have said that this natural experience has triggered a full life re-evaluation, prompting major professional, or even geographical, moves.
It’s not surprising….
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at The Independent Travel…