As OpenClassrooms is growing at such a fast pace, and because we have a team of super dedicated team members who work very hard, we wanted to ensure that they also take the time to disconnect and rest. The solution? Taking holidays (or vacations).
How Many Weeks of Holidays are Enough?
Each country has its' own set of minimum number of days for holidays but, how much is enough? What would be an ideal amount?
The number of holidays people need seems to vary from person to person. However, based on our conversations with team members, it looks like people tend to restrain themselves when it comes to taking time off. We believe this is not a good thing because, as we've said before, the number of hours you work doesn't determine your work quality. The quality of ideas and fresh thinking should always come first. It's when you do your best work.
Going Unlimited
At OpenClassrooms, we emphasize responsibility. We feel like everyone should be able to take responsibility for their actions instead of asking permission from a manager for everything.
This means that a 5-week policy can be too limiting. It's probably OK for some people, but others could benefit from more.
This is why OpenClassrooms has implemented an unlimited holiday policy. Employees can take as many paid days off as they want (Yes, you read that correctly - on top of the contractual holidays!).
Employees don't need to ask for authorization as long as they follow these simple rules:
Check that your holidays would not jeopardize your team's ability to accomplish their goals. As much as we would love to offer anyone the ability to take however long they wish, we also need to empathize with the rest of our colleagues. Ensuring that other people don't need to work extra hours in order to accomplish the same goals, is crucial.
Inform your manager and coworkers in advance in writing:
If you take one day, inform them one week in advance.
Two to five days: three weeks in advance.
Six to ten days: two months in advance (pending manager approval).
Eleven to twenty days: four months in advance (pending manager approval).
Ask for approval from your manager only for the following situations:
Depending on the number of days you take (as mentioned above);
Your work contract is coming to an end, for whatever reason;
You are in your trial period;
You didn't work for the company for the past three months.
These rules ensure communication between teams.
Going Further: The Holiday Bonus
We know that implementing an unlimited holiday policy is a nice benefit, but we wanted to take it even further:
How can we create an environment that supports people to leave on holidays with peace of mind?
Great question! We thought about it!
We're serious about people taking holidays. Our co-founders, Mathieu and Pierre, take them. And they know that long holidays give you a special power: you get a much better perspective of your work when you come back. It's refreshing! If you haven't tried, you should.
It's why we've decided to incentivize long holidays. If you take more than 15 working days off in a row (about three weeks), you'll get a 1,000€/$/£ bonus (based on location). 💰
You read that right: If you go on long holidays, you'll get paid bonus on top of your actual salary. It's not a crazy idea: It's a way to show that we're serious about the benefit of (long) holidays.
There are a few simple conditions to get this bonus:
Take at least 15 working days of holidays in a row (about three weeks).
You must have been at OpenClassrooms as an employee for at least one year.
You can only get this bonus once a year with at least a 6-month interval (Hey, don't ask for too much of a good thing! 😛 )
Finally, don't forget to send a postcard to the team. We love receiving them! 🏖
