Sabbatical leave: who gains and how much?
A rigorous quasi-experiment tested the ameliorative effects of a sabbatical leave, a special case of respite from routine work. We hypothesized that (a) respite increases resource level and well-being and (b) individual differences and respite features moderate respite effects. A sample of 129 faculty members on sabbatical and 129 matched controls completed measures of resource gain, resource loss, and well-being before, during, and after the sabbatical. Among the sabbatees, resource loss declined and resource gain and well-being rose during the sabbatical. The comparison group showed no change. Moderation analysis revealed that those who reported higher respite self-efficacy and greater control, were more detached, had a more positive sabbatical experience, and spent their sabbatical outside their home country enjoyed more enhanced well-being than others.
Davidson
Oranit B
OB
Faculty of Management, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. odavidson@pac.ac.il
Eden
Dov
D
Westman
Mina
M
Cohen-Charash
Yochi
Y
Hammer
Leslie B
LB
Kluger
Avraham N
AN
Krausz
Moshe
M
Maslach
Christina
C
O'Driscoll
Michael
M
Perrewé
Pamela L
PL
Quick
James Campbell
JC
Rosenblatt
Zehava
Z
Spector
Paul E
PE
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002322:Career Mobility; D004496:Education, Continuing / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005178:Faculty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D020377:Self Efficacy; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000517:prevention & control; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D016526:Workload