Year-long leave for gardening with 20% pay!

The incentivised leave at the oil and gas company, Schlumberger, is an alternate to avoiding job cuts while retaining skilled staff amid the global downturn within the sector

Schlumberger, a global leader in the oil and gas segment has placed its employees in Aberdeen on a gardening leave for up to a year on 20 per cent of their annual salary. However, during this period they are not allowed to work for any other employer.

The oilfield services giant introduced this incentivised leave of absence with an aim to retain skilled staff amid the global downturn within the sector. 

Under the initiative, employees across the company who choose to opt for the scheme will be able to take up to a year’s break from employment on a fraction of their regular annual pay. However, they will not be allowed to work for another employer in that duration. This means, those who decide to accept the incentive will not be entitled to supplement their reduced income with additional work for any other organisation.

The company which has a staff of 100,000 worldwide in 85 countries has cut off a total of 16,000 jobs globally since the start of the year. It has around 3,000 staff in Aberdeen and the scheme comes as a unique alternative to further job cuts. Many Aberdeen-based workers are now waiting until the end of the year to find out if they will regain employment and a further 30 per cent of their salary.

Schlumberger staff on the scheme could also be called back in, on an ad-hoc basis, if and when work opportunity arises during their year away.

One union source had shared with the media that such a scheme, that has the ability to protect jobs, is always welcome and will have support from the workforce.