# The Unintentional Sabbatical By:: [[Brian Heath]] 2024-04-28 I know of a person who was laid off from their job. But, the organization needed to be more convinced that laying this person off was the right decision. So, in a rare moment of authentic engagement, the organization asked the person if they wanted to stay or not. After hearing that the severance package would be nearly a year after receiving their full salary, the person gladly agreed to be laid off. For the next nine months, this person enjoyed time with their family and dabbled a bit in various projects. They started looking for the next job with only a few months left until the company stopped paying them. Oddly enough, the company that laid them off hired them back at a higher title and salary. This person essentially had a year-long paid sabbatical and was promoted for it. To many, this is a very odd story. Some may feel jealousy; others will think it akin to winning the lottery. However, only some will see its value to this person and the organization. The person got to spend time with their family and experience life with a taste of freedom from the drudgery of work. The organization got a clear perspective on the value of this person while gaining their loyalty beyond anything else they could have done. In a world short on trust and reflection, this true story looks into an alternative way of being - even if it was entirely unintentional. #### Related Items [[Work]] [[Joy]] [[Paradigms]] [[Organization]] [[Value]] [[Layoffs]] [[Salary]]