Why do companies throw around unlimited PTO like it’s a huge company perk, but then get upset when you try to use it responsibly? Seems like this is true at most companies
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My company has unlimited PTO but to combat your question they require you take a minimum of 2 weeks/year to make sure people still get some time off. We also get mental health days company wide and before you ask, yes it's a startup (about 220 employees, series B)
Same here - unlimited PTO with a requirement of taking a minimum of 2 weeks off (1 week of which MUST be continuous).
I've also never had my manager refuse my PTO request or question it in any way. I guess I have it good.
I've also never had my manager refuse my PTO request or question it in any way. I guess I have it good.
I work at a startup as well and could for sure use some mental health days lol
Dude your guess is as good as anyone's.
As a side note please make sure to schedule time off. A day here and there. I struggle with it sometimes too but I am learning my mental health and burn out rate are much better than when I don't take time off.
As a side note please make sure to schedule time off. A day here and there. I struggle with it sometimes too but I am learning my mental health and burn out rate are much better than when I don't take time off.
Completely agree with this. I am constantly having to do things to help me not get burned out, especially during the pandemic
Just a way to not pay you out on your two weeks when you transition to a new company. Absolutely hate unlimited time off. I've worked for companies that give 3 weeks/year and companies with 'unlimited' PTO. I took off less days working for the latter.
Yeah agreed- I think it’s more a way to make you feel guilty than anything else
I read some data somewhere that showed that people who work for companies with unlimited PTO actually take less time off than those who work for companies with PTO limits.
I have seen this as well, I think you’re on to something
Heard the same thing and agree. Also, as others have said, the company doesn’t have to pay it out if you leave/get fired.
most places I work have traditional PTO so you feel entitled to take those days you earned. No guilt but quota hanging over your head.
I did work at one place w/unlimited PTO and they would cut quota by 50% for the month, twice a year so you could actually take time off and enjoy it.
A senior manager there encouraged his team to take 1 week off a qtr but they were on product development side so a bit different.
Unlimited PTO is usually a scam but occasionally you get a good company that supports your actual well being.
most places I work have traditional PTO so you feel entitled to take those days you earned. No guilt but quota hanging over your head.
I did work at one place w/unlimited PTO and they would cut quota by 50% for the month, twice a year so you could actually take time off and enjoy it.
A senior manager there encouraged his team to take 1 week off a qtr but they were on product development side so a bit different.
Unlimited PTO is usually a scam but occasionally you get a good company that supports your actual well being.
Wish those companies were easier to find
There are some mysteries of the world that are simply not to be understood... This one is especially troubling if you are straight commission only.
Base and commish fortunately but you’re right, seems more like something a recruiter or hiring manager uses as a hook for people brand new to sales or other roles
If that is the case, it is a very short minded strategy.
This seems to be a big thing in the US. It’s less of a problem, in the main, in the UK.
not as many offer unlimited time off, but most companies push staff to take it
not as many offer unlimited time off, but most companies push staff to take it
My UK counterpart just took 2 weeks and has another week coming up to end the month. Same company. Completely different PTO mentalities based on location. My manager would FLIP if I took 2 weeks at a month/quarter end and didn't check emails or respond to anyone.
I have literally been laid off for taking a 2 week vacation that my manager approved, but his manager didn’t. You’re absolutely right
This is absurd!
Yeah going on holiday is not as encouraged as I think it should be over here :/
Unlimited PTO? Is this common?
It's becoming more common now, especially with the market becoming candidate driven rather than employer driven. Whatever they can do to attract the talent they want, they'll do/say.
It's also not so much unlimited as it is limited. While you can earn an unlimited amount of PTO hours, you can only use so many per year. At least this is the way it works where I am at.
It's also not so much unlimited as it is limited. While you can earn an unlimited amount of PTO hours, you can only use so many per year. At least this is the way it works where I am at.
Depends on the company but yeah I would say fairly common
unlimited PTO is very common in the tech/SaaS space, in fact I feel like I rarely see companies advertising anything but this.
There's been studies (I tend to take studies with a grain of salt) but anyways there's reports about the correlation of unlimited pto usually sees employees taking less time off.
Having lived this world for awhile I can see the validity in the study. Anecdotally, it feels like people take less time off. I think this policy shifted the dynamics a bit and it plays the everyone's psychology. Now employees have the ask for time and generally people don't always feel comfortable with it. X number of vaca days earned makes employees feel entitled to take them, (disclaimer; my personal feeling and a bit of a generalization).
I don't think companies are putting these policy's in place maliciously thinking they're going to have their employees take less time I think started as a move to position themselves as more flexible.
I firmly believe that management should be up front with expectations around this and encourage their team's to take time they've earned and when they've noticed someone hasn't in a long time remind them of the policy and encourage some unplugging time, it will ultimately be received so well by the employee and they'll feel appreciated and taken care of ultimately increasing loyalty and good feelings of the org.
There's been studies (I tend to take studies with a grain of salt) but anyways there's reports about the correlation of unlimited pto usually sees employees taking less time off.
Having lived this world for awhile I can see the validity in the study. Anecdotally, it feels like people take less time off. I think this policy shifted the dynamics a bit and it plays the everyone's psychology. Now employees have the ask for time and generally people don't always feel comfortable with it. X number of vaca days earned makes employees feel entitled to take them, (disclaimer; my personal feeling and a bit of a generalization).
I don't think companies are putting these policy's in place maliciously thinking they're going to have their employees take less time I think started as a move to position themselves as more flexible.
I firmly believe that management should be up front with expectations around this and encourage their team's to take time they've earned and when they've noticed someone hasn't in a long time remind them of the policy and encourage some unplugging time, it will ultimately be received so well by the employee and they'll feel appreciated and taken care of ultimately increasing loyalty and good feelings of the org.
its to higher talent. In sales PTO is another way to leverage activity :(
Doesn’t that call into question the integrity of the organization? How can you sell for a company that lies to you right off the bat
100%
This drives me insane but it's also why I love tech sales. My role is quantifiable and that is what matters most. If I hit quota, nobody is saying anything to me about taking time off.
On the other hand, taking too much time off does interfere with my ability to hit quota. I can take PTO but the quota doesn't change. My wife knows that I'll never take a vacation at end of the quarter because of this.
On the other hand, taking too much time off does interfere with my ability to hit quota. I can take PTO but the quota doesn't change. My wife knows that I'll never take a vacation at end of the quarter because of this.
Unlimited pto is cheaper for the company especially with high turn over bc there’s no pto balance to be paid. Where as annual allotment leaves pto to be paid from bottom dollar💵
Makes a lot of sense
Any company that has switched to unlimited is simply removing the requirement that they pay out on unused vacation when you leave. Study after study shows PTO utilization goes down when teams move from pre-determined to unlimited PTO.
I also would be willing to bet that full week / 2 week vacations become less common with a lot of folks opting to take more long weekend vacations instead.
I also would be willing to bet that full week / 2 week vacations become less common with a lot of folks opting to take more long weekend vacations instead.
I think it is because the company has to pay into your PTO whether you are to use it or not. So more than likely they just want to make sure they are getting their money's worth so to speak. I could be wrong though, this is just how I have been led to understand it. Someone please correct me if I am wrong in any way here.
I have unlimited PTO, and I've taken like 2 days off in a year. PTO was a funny thing I always wanted lots of and never used.
They know sales people don't take a lot of PTO because it makes it harder to get to Quota Town - so when people use it they think that person isn't as "self motivated" to sell.
I've been at companies who get upset when asking for PTO, but I've also been at companies who encourage PTO even with an unlimited PTO plan. My current company actively encourages taking days off and mental health days and I think a lot of companies are going toward this as well. I always keep track of how many days I've taken off so I take a good amount of time, but not too much.
Coming out of the military where we got 4 weeks of leave a year but you could lose it if you do not use it within 2 years to an unlimited "responsible" PTO policy has been interesting. It is encouraged at my company to take time off and have no pushback yet but the quota doesn't stop so you have to know you are possibly taking a pay cut to take time off.
Obviously varies by company. Some places use it to trick employees so it's all about finding a place that really values their employees.
The great thing about tech sales is everything is quantifiable. As long as I'm hitting / exceeding my numbers, they say do your thing. And since i haven't been traveling due to COVID, I haven't taken a day since Xmas. Putting in the work now while the weather sucked so once summer gets here, I can take at least 2 weeks plus we have summer Friday's. Something to look forward to.
The great thing about tech sales is everything is quantifiable. As long as I'm hitting / exceeding my numbers, they say do your thing. And since i haven't been traveling due to COVID, I haven't taken a day since Xmas. Putting in the work now while the weather sucked so once summer gets here, I can take at least 2 weeks plus we have summer Friday's. Something to look forward to.
Keep life and work balance, use your PTO. Plan well ahead and schedule a couple of solid weeks off twice a year and recharge, no apologies.. but hit your numbers and plan ahead, this shouldn't be a road bump to quota.
It's a tactic to not payout employees when they leave. Unlimited PTO works in their benefit, not yours.
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