30/10/2022
Is unlimited PTO/annual leave a con?! ✈️ Read on!
It certainly can be an unused benefit in a company where taking annual leave isn’t encouraged.
In order for unlimited PTO to be an *actual* benefit, it needs to be utilised and be part of the culture of a company. It’s no use having it as a benefit if the behaviour isn’t modelled by leadership and snr management.
There are some studies out there that show some employees can take *less* annual leave when they have unlimited PTO. This can be because people are more likely to use holidays/perks when they have an allotted amount. I recently saw a company announce on LinkedIn that they changed from unlimited holidays to 35 days annual leave for this very reason!
When used correctly and encouraged, unlimited PTO can stop people squirrelling away all their holidays for summer or the end of the year (hello burn out). True flexible working policies that support work/life balance can not only keep current employees happy, but can be a huge perk when attracting new talent.
Q. And what has this got to do with me sitting in a bridesmaid dress? 😂
A. The company I work at rolled out unlimited PTO at the start of the year, I set myself a goal of taking between 30-35 days (to make sure I was actually getting benefit from it).
For me unlimited PTO has been game changing. It meant that when I was a bridesmaid earlier this month, I didn’t have to ration out my leave or fly out before/after work. I got to head home the weekend before the wedding to spend time with family, before travelling to the west of Ireland 💒 Something I wouldn’t have been able to do before because my PTO would have all been used up or saved for Christmas. It’s also meant that I’ve been able to have ad-hoc long weekends doing very little without feeling like I am “wasting” my annual leave. Before unlimited PTO I felt every day off had to be “productive” and “meaningful”… which generally meant I felt guilty if I just wanted to rest or spend the day reading in a cafe.
💡Have you ever worked anywhere with unlimited PTO? And, in general, is it something you’d rate as a benefit if looking for a new job? Let me know 👇🏼