At Ascenti we offer unpaid sabbatical leave for employees who have been with us for over 6 months, with the length of sabbatical differing due to the number of years an employee has worked with us.
Unlike annual leave, a sabbatical is an extended break from work with the guarantee of the employee’s position remaining open for them on their return to work.
We have found that sabbatical leave helps our employees come back to their roles with a fresh perspective, increased wellness and reduced stress and anxiety levels.
There are a variety of reasons and desires why people might want to take a sabbatical from work. This could include, travelling the world, volunteering, to focus on a personal goal outside of work or to focus on improving your mental and physical health.
Hear from our employees who share their experiences of how they used sabbatical leave and what it was like to return to work.
Senior MSK Physiotherapist and PDL, Michael Hollingsworth:
“I travelled part of South-East Asia with my partner, visiting several countries including the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Singapore. It was great to experience a different way of life in these countries, meet new people and learn about their different cultures.
“I feel that it is a great benefit to utilise, particularly if you have interests elsewhere, such as travelling or volunteering.
“It was a smooth process settling back into my role on my return. As all clinicians know, the busy MSK physiotherapy clinics keep you on your toes, so it was good to get straight back into my normal role and pick things up where I left off.”
Senior MSK Physiotherapist and PDL, Lloyd Creeper:
“Myself and my girlfriend travelled around South East Asia for three months. It was something that we had planned on doing for some time, however, due to the length of time needed to travel and visit these areas, extended leave from work was required.
“Being able to use sabbatical leave was a great option as it was reassuring to know I had a job when I returned.
“On returning to work I was really supported by having meetings with my Area Manager and Physiotherapy Development Lead (PDL) to run through any changes that happened whilst I was away and to catch up with the current learning cycle.”
