How the F*ck did I Get It … most company would have fired
me by now ….
The above is the usual or somewhat usual respond I usually
get from friends and family and it’s always followed some eye rising question
speculation that I did some backdoor illegal / under table means to get what I wanted.
Well …. Getting a sabbatical is more an art then technicality anyway ….
If I would summarized my way of getting a sabbatical the
second time it would go like this
1. Mental
Preparation
If the first big trip
requires you to prepare yourself mentally to save up, quit your job, jump into
the unknown world of backpacking and visiting places you never dream off let
alone do it solo … then the second sabbatical requires preparing your boss and
bosses mentally to accept that you are always going to be asking for things
that are not of the norm.
You see the first time is
easy …. most of my friends and family thought I was insane yet they had this
glimmer in their eye telling me they kinda understand that it is a passion, a
mid-life crisis or whatever and could consider it as something one would do
only once in a lifetime.
So I prepared my Boss,
bosses and company that one day I may do it again. 1 year after resuming work I
requested plenty of leave of absence … 3 months, 1 months which was all rejected
and I continue working but the seed was planted. 2 years later I told my boss
to get a replacement for myself … giving him ample of warning that I would be
leaving.
Constant reminder, and full
of words of encouragement to my management team that I would be going
regardless if they grant me or not the sabbatical leave. In my own words … they
had 3 months to grant me the approval of my sabbatical else I would approve it
myself by resigning.
So it was set in stone mentally
to the Bosses head that there was no way to stop me from going on another world
tour.
2. Timing
Requesting a sabbatical is
tricky. You don’t want to be the bastard that just chuck all the workload over
to your boss and fellow teammates and leaves for a holiday. Since I work
project base it’s always best to leave during a project ending … i.e finish
your duty and go but then again I was assigned to a 7 year project 6 months
prior to my departure. In the end it was agreed that I would help set up the
project before I leave, a half-way point …. So I left the project to fellow teammates
with big smiles and good wishes of seeing them in a years’ time.
3. Why
I Need The Sabbatical instead of Resigning
One part that the company
could not comprehend was that if I was so determined to go on the trip to the
point that I would resign to pursue my world tour why was it then I was asking
for a sabbatical?? Well since I am a Malaysian working in Singapore with a work
permit a sabbatical means I would not require surrendering my work pass and
hence I would have proof of employment during travels.
You never know how tricky it
can be trying to cross borders with a jumper profile. Plus without resigning I would not
have to go through the trouble of clearing income tax prior to leaving a foreign
country which could hold up my paycheck for a few months while I was en-route …
lastly as I know from past experience … a sabbatical is less hassle than
resignation
4. Why it’s
Good for Company to Gives Sabbaticals
Not only do I need to
convince my boss and bosses why I wanted to go on another world tour plus a
longer one at that I also had to HARD SELL that it is good for the company to
give sabbaticals. There is no loss to the companies that gives sabbaticals
since a no pay leave is granted. All benefits from the company during the
period of the sabbatical is considered void so technically the company loses
nothing by giving sabbaticals.
Reputation wise it look good
for a company that gives sabbaticals. Proven fact by the amount of compliment
my friends and family telling me how fortunate I was to be working with a
company that grants such ridicules requests. To the younger generation it’s definitely
a plus point but hopefully I won’t set a trend and be blame for it.
In conclusion … Its good PR
to gives sabbaticals …. No loss to company but value gain in reputation
5. Acceptance
So after months of coxing /
threatening / negotiating / they finally agree to give me a sabbatical of 1
Year … don’t be surprise if your sabbatical leave becomes a companywide rumour
and gossip …. Give it time … the envy
will lessen with time and true friends will await your return
6. Farewell
with Blessing is always Better than F*uck Off
This is a little extra that I
learn this time round. It’s very tempting to say F*ck Off and throw that letter
you been wanting to so much just so one could go for a long extended trip but
leaving on a good note is always better than burning that bridge. I make my
trip a part of my teammates, friends and family which they track me through
facebook and this blog. I get text and msg even as I travel asking for advices
or even giving me tips and help when I reach places they have been before or
have friends and relative.
For those who do not
understand … some people whom are unable to do what we do in visiting the world
…. They visit the world through our stories …
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