What is The Navigators’ policy on sabbaticals? #
The Navigators’ policy is to strongly encourage every Navigator staff to take a 3-6-month sabbatical every 7-10 years.
What’s our responsibility to their supervisor, their Sabbatical Advisor, and to HR? #
HR needs to know if there are any delegations of responsibilities for the person(s) on sabbatical that they need to be aware of. The Supervisor Check-In Form and the Supervisory Delegation Form could be helpful. These forms are available under the Resources section at www.tdcresourcehub.org/sabbatical. The staff is responsible to communicate with their supervisor and connect with HR as needed. The Sabbatical Advisor’s responsibility is to shepherd the staff through their sabbatical phases. Feel free to connect with the person(s) on sabbatical at any time to find out how they are doing. Please do not engage them in any ministry conversation.
How do the person(s) going on sabbatical determine the length of their sabbatical? #
We strongly encourage staff to take a 3- to 6-month sabbatical every 7-10 years. The length of the sabbatical should be mutually determined by the person(s) going on sabbatical, the supervisor, and the Sabbatical Advisor. For some staff, a shorter sabbatical seems to work best. For others, a longer one seems appropriate.
How often should the person(s) on sabbatical communicate with their supervisor during their sabbatical? #
They are encouraged to connect with their supervisor once per phase during their sabbatical. Supervisors are to feel free to connect with the person(s) on sabbatical at any time to find out how they are doing. They are just asked to not engage them in any ministry conversation.
At what point on the sabbatical process can staff receive new job offers? #
The person(s) on sabbatical are encouraged to ask people to wait until the Realignment/ Reassignment Phase of their sabbatical before other opportunities are presented. They have been instructed to be sure that their supervisor is aware of and in agreement with them before pursuing another assignment. If they want to consider offers outside their current Mission/Network/City, they can reach out to Ken Larson (Ken.Larson@navigators.org) or Navs HR. They will be aware of opportunities and facilitate dialogue across the work.
How do we set up a sabbatical rotation plan for the people we supervise? #
Thanks for considering this. The NLT encourages Navigator staff to take a 3-6 month sabbatical every 7-10 years. How could you lead the staff you supervise to experience this gift? One way is to set up a sabbatical rotation plan (example on this site) which gives your staff hope and helps set expectations. You are encouraged to plan out a rotating 10-year window for the staff you supervise. You could prepare a draft plan yourself, draft the plan together with your staff during a meeting, or some other way that fits your situation. This plan does not have to be concrete and can be modified as you and your team see fit. An annual review of the rotation plan could be helpful in each staff’s PPR. This opportunity should be encouraged by you, considered during the PPR cycle, and communicated as a positive opportunity. Some great times to consider a sabbatical: – When they are facing or considering a transition in life or ministry. – When they are struggling with burnout or resenting their calling. – If they haven’t had a sabbatical in the last 7-10 years.
