I am a trust-based manager. Glassdoor is a trust-based employer. We strive to treat all of our employees with respect and dignity.
Here at Glassdoor, we expect that our employees will be intrinsically driven to do the right thing and behave in an ethical manner. We are offered the opportunity to show our employees that we believe in their ability to make the right decision when faced with a challenge. One of the many ways that we show our employees that we think they're responsible and capable adults is through our “Vacation Matters” policy.
At Glassdoor, we want our employees to manage their personal lives as well as their work. We believe that people are smart enough to decide when they can go on vacation, stay home sick and be in the office to get sh*t done. Therefore, we do not dictate the number of days per year our employees can go on vacation -- we believe they're smart enough to make that call on their own.
Recently, we implemented an “unlimited personal time off” policy. There is no “sick time” or “vacation time.” If employees are ill, we encourage them to stay home, rest and recover -- and not infect co-workers. If someone wants to schedule a vacation, they should! We believe that employees who love their lives, see their families and take care of their bodies will be happier, healthier and more productive employees.
Of course, for our non-exempt employees who are eligible to receive over-time pay and who are paid hourly versus on a salary, our Unlimited PTO policy must be different. For these individuals, we are required to track paid time off to ensure we comply with federal and state labor laws. While we are flexible with our employee time off, it's necessary to comply with the government's hard and fast rules.
Unlimited paid time off often leads to misconceptions. But what does unlimited PTO mean? Unlimited PTO does not mean that employees are allowed to go on vacation indefinitely and aren't held accountable for their jobs -- quite the opposite, in fact. We have found that our employees are even more responsible because they do not want to let their team or company down: Or abuse the policy and ruin it for others. Every employee is also an owner of the company, so we are all thinking about the well-being of our organization as well as our personal well-being.
Here are three reasons you should implement Unlimited PTO at your organization today:
- It's free! Offering unlimited paid time off costs you nothing, yet does wonders for your organization. First, it shows your employees that you trust them, which goes a long way. It also shows potential candidates how much you value your employees and their work/life balance, a huge selling point for on-the-fence applicants.
- You won't have to deal with "sick days," "vacation days" and timesheets. Seriously, it's almost 2015. There is no need to micromanage employees to the point where you need them to account for every single hour of their lives. Give your employees freedom and let them prove to you that they're willing to step up to the plate and make you proud.
- Your employees will work harder. If you decide to offer UPTO, you'll realize something great -- employees will work hard for you. Employees want to be valued as human beings and need their employers to realize they have lives outside of work. When employees know that they can take off two weeks to Hawaii on vacation with their kids, they will work that much harder to get their work done (and go above and beyond for you) before they leave. Understanding that work is just one aspect of people's lives is a crucial step for companies.
At Glassdoor, we believe UPTO gives employees a more holistic view of how to spend their time. This is your life, this is your career and this is our company; together, if we make smart decisions, we will all thrive and make a difference in the world, our personal world and the world at-large. We believe that if people are treated with respect and dignity, they are more likely to respond in kind. That creates a lovely experience for each of us.
