World Conflicts
Yesterday
606
Israeli precision-guided munition likely killed group of children playing foosball in Gaza, weapons experts say
India
Yesterday
657
'Hindutva': The Radical Hindu Ideology That Seeks to 'Push Christianity Out of India’
Tech Industry
Yesterday
1617
Do people underestimate E6 role at meta?
Tech Industry
Yesterday
412
How much should your net worth be by age 30?
Personal Finance
Yesterday
1170
Thank you AAPL and NVDA
I started offering unlimited paid sick leave this year. This resulted in absolutely nobody ever calling out sick. I have to send people home. It's a small business with only a few employees. Anyone else experience this or have insight?
Interesting
Institute minimums. Unlimited becomes code for no time off in other companies, so employees can think that way. It's probably worth spending some time setting context to your team and encouraging them to take time to take care of themselves.
Minimum *sick* days?
...take some time off yourself and set an example.
I worked at two startups that both claimed unlimited PTO. I would stay home if sick, but I also rarely took any time off even when it would have been more practical. Also anytime I stayed home I typically would still work, just remotely. Like somebody else said, it is often taken as code for no guarantees when it comes to taking time off. I should add, I think it is awesome you have done this and I don't think there is anything wrong with it. It's just that people unfortunately tend to take it the wrong way.
Poor souls. I took 2-3 months off when I had open time off policy. People's average was 1.5 months off.
Pto or even sick leave is a benefit, same as a salary. Psychologically you get it as a reward, while unlimited removes that gratification. In a small business where perceptions of how much effort people are putting in, taking any leave that is not earned or awarded can be construed as slacking. I am sure behavioral scientists have better terminology for the effort/reward argument I am making but that's basically it.
Interesting. Any opinion on whether it's a good approach or not?
I don't know if there is broad research on this or not but it definitely doesn't sound right for your company.
Very loosely related but same reason why products provide discounts on a higher price rather than just lowering the price.
By this analogy, you are saying that increasing the amount of paid leave is better than making it unlimited?
Could be, I don't know, but probably need to run controlled experiments to find the answer.
Yes, there has been research done that unlimited sick days or PTO will result in employees self policing harshly and ultimately leads them to take the minimal amount of time off possible out of fear of being seen as less dedicated to their work. Having a limit and/or a “use it or lose it” policy will encourage employees to utilize the benefit to it’s maximum.
Lead by example. How much time have you taken off since you did this. Did you announce it and make it obvious? If you tell people they can do whatever they want, and then you take no days off or take them quietly, then you are actually communicating your new expectations. So win-win: the solution is not to force them to go home, it is to force yourself to go home and tell everyone about it.
I like this. We don't have unlimited days off at the company I work at (we generate on a monthly basis) but my boss takes vacations using his generated days semi regularly setting the precedent that is ok to be out for a week or two here and there. Couple this with regular use of PTO for sick days and it makes a culture where both being sick and vacationing can be done comfortably. I think Zuckerberg did something similar to promote Facebook's paternity leave policy.
Appreciate your idea
People who come to the office while sick are attacking their colleagues with biological weapons. this should not be tolerated.
Well Then they lost their right of claiming X paid leaves! This happened to me in my last company when they started offering unlimited paid leaves. It leaves you at the mercy of your manager to “grant” you leaves