Fixing Unlimited Vacation
In the face of some popular skepticism, we think we’ve made a necessary improvement to the concept
Forgive us for indulging in a brief moment of employee benefits hipsterism, but: Earlybird has been offering so-called “unlimited vacation” since before it was cool. And in the face of some recent public skepticism about this type of policy, we still think we do it right.
Yes, we know, it’s not completely unlimited. Which is to say it’s not endless or without any restriction. You can’t accept a new job here (like one of our recently-announced engineering positions) and immediately decide to go on safari for three years while still expecting a regular paycheck the whole time. However, we don’t keep track of personal days, or scrutinize their use, and with sufficient advanced coordination, have supported extended sabbaticals and paid trips abroad.
That’s all because, like a growing number of companies in tech, we’ve recognized the significant productivity advantages of helping our teammates avoid burnout, affording them extra leisure time with friends and family whenever they feel it’s necessary and appropriate. (Or free time to watch Netflix alone in bed all afternoon — we’re not here to judge.)
Plus, from a management standpoint, precisely controlling PTO demands additional administrative overhead, efforts that are not always justified with greater returns. While stricter attendance enforcement may be ideal or unavoidabke for certain industries or occupations, many employers still reflexively police the vacation days of their workers without much critical thought to whether the practice is actually beneficial to their bottom line. We suspect many are squandering any efficiency gains to higher turnover, lower morale, and diminished creative output — a hunch that’s increasingly supported by research.
With that said, we are sensitive to the critique offered up recently in The Wall Street Journal that argues unlimited vacation policies can be unfriendly to workers because the rule’s ambiguity results in people hesitating and taking less time off than they might normally. It may not be “a trap” as openly pondered by Crain’s Chicago back in March, but it does make sense why someone would be reluctant to go on break if it’s unclear how it will affect their standing with colleagues.
Our fix for this uncertainty? We mandate that a minimum amount of vacation be taken (currently two weeks) in addition to our eight paid company holidays. While still not closely tracked, we want team members to know they should feel comfortable taking at least that much time off — and in line with individual needs and performance goals, most take more when it’s convenient. All in all, we believe this better reflects the original spirit of so-called unlimited vacation policies: to ensure that positive work-life balance is supported and encouraged in the most optimal way possible.
Interested in joining our team at Earlybird? We offer more than just vacations. Check out our careers page for more on our available positions, company values, and a full list of employee benefits.
