According to a blog post from Entrepreneur, Richard Branson recently announced in his new book, The Virgin Way, that Virgin employees will now have an unlimited vacation policy. Staff will be allowed to take time off whenever they want, without prior approval or with their hours being tracked. However, there is a caveat. Branson does note that employees may take vacation only “when they feel one hundred percent comfortable that they and their team are up to date on every project and that their absence will not in any way damage the business — or, for that matter, their careers.”
The idea of sending your employees off to complete a scope of work in a timely manner without micromanaging their activities is not a new one. In some ways, it makes sense to reward efficient workers with more time off. However, implementing this type of work structure requires clear measureables for what completing a job entails, strong communication protocols and a great deal of trust – on both sides. Can you envision instituting an unlimited employee vacation policy at your organization?
