Improve the Quality of Life of our employees safely

COMMITMENT 1

Improve the Quality of Life of our employees safely

A sabbatical leave improves employees’ quality of life and motivation

At the beginning of 2019, Sodexo introduced a Nordic policy for employees to take a sabbatical leave. This milestone was based on employees’ changed expectations and Sodexo’s desire to evolve as a modern and attractive employer. This Nordic policy supports the wider Sodexo initiative FLOW (Flexibility Optimizes Work).

–We were thinking about how we could improve our employees’ quality of life and what people want and expect from their employer today. When surveying what things people value in an employer, we have found that the top question has been whether the employer offers a better future. We believe that knowing of the option of taking a leave in itself improves employees’ quality of life, even if they have no immediate need for a leave, Inkeri Puputti, HR Director in Finland says.

Various life situations can cause a need to take a sabbatical leave: a loved one may fall ill and the employee wishes to stay home to care for them, or an employee’s spouse may leave on a foreign assignment and the employee wishes to go with them. Or an employee may wish to spend time in their native country or study.

Employees commit to employers that provide opportunities to develop through different career stages, in addition to offering interesting work.

Taking a sabbatical leave requires that the employee has been in Sodexo’s service for thee to five years, depending on which country the employee works in. The maximum duration of the leave is one year. An employee taking a sabbatical leave is expected to have the intention of returning to Sodexo after the leave. The time of the leave is agreed upon with the employee’s line manager.

A sabbatical leave meets needs that are normally not met by statutory and collective agreements, such as job alternation leaves and study leaves.

–People have primarily used the leave for travelling and spending time with their families. The goal is for the employee to return from the sabbatical leave with improved commitment, motivation and know-how, Puputti says. .

COMMITMENT 1

Improve the Quality of Life of our employees safely

CASE Spent sabbatical leave in Asia

The Finnish HR Manager Anna Römpötti took an eight-month sabbatical to tour Asia. - I love travelling, and I had dreamt of taking a little break from working life with my live-in partner for years,” Römpötti says. The couple visited 14 countries. They spent a month in India, turned prayer wheels in Tibet, marvelled at the Terracotta Army built for the first Emperor of China and cared for elephants rescued from poor conditions at an animal sanctuary in Thailand. –The journey was a deep dive into the Asian way of life. I saw the different ways in which people lead their lives and had the chance to experience first hand what inequality can look like. I learned a lot about Asia in general: its cultures, religions, politics, history and geography. Now I have a much better understanding of what and how Asia is. I also learned a lot about myself. The sabbatical leave gave me new energy for everyday life, and I think the experiences and the learnings from the tour will stay with me for years,“Römpötti says.

Anna Römpötti in Kioto

Did you know that…

our Nordic policy for sabbatical leave has been implemented in order to offer our employees more flexibility, when it comes to periods of unpaid leave and to strengthen Sodexo as an attractive employer?

that all Nordic employees who have been employed by Sodexo for a minimum of 3-5 years (depending on regulations within the country), can apply for sabbatical leave which aren´t covered by statutory rights for studying and vacation? For instance the sabbatical leave can be used for travelling, spending more time with the family or to accompany a family member on a foreign assignment.

all applications for sabbatical leave are handled in the same way, regardless who the employee´s manager is? However business related consequences must be considered. For instance Sodexo can´t guarantee an employee granted sabbatical leave during sensitive periods such as an upstart of a new assignment or during peak seasons..

COMMITMENT 2 2

Ensure a diverse workforce and inclusive culture that reflects and enriches communities we serve