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Staff at Richard Branson's 'Virgin' are offered unlimited holidays

Employees of the Virgin Group are to be given unlimited holidays - as long as they get their jobs...
Newstalk
Newstalk

09.34 25 Sep 2014


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Staff at Richard Branson&#...

Staff at Richard Branson's 'Virgin' are offered unlimited holidays

Newstalk
Newstalk

09.34 25 Sep 2014


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Employees of the Virgin Group are to be given unlimited holidays - as long as they get their jobs done. The CEO Richard Branson announced the initiative in a blog post on his website.

Mr Branson said, "Flexible working has revolutionised how, where and when we all do our jobs. So, if working nine to five no longer applies, then why should we have strict annual leave policies?"

The billionaire businessman said he first learned of the idea when his daughter, Holly, told him to read an article in the Daily Telegraph about film streaming service 'Netflix' - who lets its staff take as much holiday as they want, whenever they want.

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"Needless to say I was instantly intrigued and wanted to learn more," he said.

It is to be left to the employee to decide if and when he or she feels like taking holidays - whether it is a few hours, a day, a week or a month off.

Mr Branson added that this is based on "the assumption ... that they are only going to do it when they feel a 100% comfortable that they and their team are up to date on every project and that their absence will not in any way damage the business - or, for that matter, their careers."

He also cites the idea that companies should focus on what people get done, not on how many hours or days worked.

"Just as we don't have a nine-to-five policy, we don't need a vacation policy," he said.

He has also invited people to let their views known on the subject, adding, "Do you think that all work places should throw away the book on annual leave policies?"


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