Taking another step forward to ensure engagement and satisfaction of its employees, Citigroup will offer its staff an opportunity to avail a 12-week sabbatical. That means, employees, irrespective of rank, can take up to 12 weeks off to do whatever they want. The only condition for eligibility is that they should have spent a minimum of five years with Citi. During the sabbatical, the employees will receive only 25 per cent of their basic pay, and they cannot take more than two sabbaticals.
The American multinational investment bank realises that its employees may require some time off to take some courses, study, attend to family matters, work on their own health and well-being or even take care of some family members, all of which will require time off from work.
As part of these benefits, employees will be allowed to buy five extra vacation days every year, with effect from 2021. That is not all, those who have been with Citi for at least five year will get a chance to work for a charitable organisation for up to four weeks, pro bono, even while they continue to get their full base pay from Citi. This benefit can be availed twice.
During the pandemic, Citigroup helped its staff with the online tutoring of their children. It offered discounts on test-preparation and tutoring services, and even offered assistance to find educational caregivers who could supervise the online learning of employees’ wards.
