Go ahead, delete that screensaver of the Caribbean beach and take a much-needed break anytime you want.
Dispensing with a ceiling on the number of leave days team members can take in a year, these three companies on our 2016 list of 100 Best Companies to Work For offer unlimited paid time-off to their employees. They’ve joined the growing trend, in recent years, to remove a cap on the number of leave days allocated for employees to take time off.
It’s still a relatively tiny amount: Only around 1% of U.S. companies are estimated to have endless paid-time-off policies. It’s a perk that sounds too good to be true: unlimited vacation.
The trend has prompted a debate in some HR circles about how it can be used wisely. Already, according to a Glassdoor survey, American workers only use around half of their eligible paid-time-off days, and there are many who feel that employers will frown on those who take time off liberally.
However, these three companies have attempted to mitigate any feelings of guilt with promises that it won’t be held against them:
Workday
100 Best Companies rank: 31
“I’ve never been somewhere where there is so much care and emphasis put on enjoying and liking where you work,” said one Workmate, as employees here are called. A company that makes cloud-based applications for HR and finance departments, Workday (WDAY) also offers generous work-life benefits that allows team members to take as much time off as they need for vacation or volunteering. One employee told us: “It makes it so much less stressful to plan major life events like a wedding and honeymoon knowing my employer will allow me to fully enjoy these once-in-a-lifetime experiences.”
Riot Games
100 Best Companies rank: 39
The developer behind the global best-selling video game League of Legends has an open paid-time-off policy: there are no limits to the number of days you can take for time off, whether it’s for a much-needed skiing trip or because you have the flu. Sustainable careers are the aim for Rioters, and team members can choose to stay at home if they are feeling burnt out and need to rest. “It’s up to you to design what kind of PTO schedule works for you, and to stay home when you’re not feeling well,” workers are told.
VMware
100 Best Companies rank: 40
The Palo Alto-based software company VMware (VMW) trusts its employees with their schedule management from the day they first start work here on their beautiful 105-acre campus. Employees receive unlimited and untracked time off here, and if needed, the company also allows staff members to take paid sabbaticals as well. “VMware’s unlimited vacation policy gives me the flexibility to take care of my own well-being and my family when I really need it without the stress of counting days I have off,” program manager Hanna Friend said when asked about it last year.
Also read Why Unlimited Vacation May Sound Better Than It Really Is.
For more on companies with outstanding workplace cultures, check out the full list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For, where you’ll also find tips on job searching and secrets from recruiters on how to get hired.
