We recently updated our PTO policy at Chatbooks. “Unlimited PTO” is out and “Mandatory PTO” is in. Everyone is required to take 1 continuous week off per quarter to disconnect & recharge. It’s the player’s job to take it, the coach’s job to encourage it, and HR’s job to track it.

“Unlimited PTO” often resulted in some team members never taking a meaningful stretch of time off to disconnect and reset from work, leading to side effects of burnout over time (). We found it wasn’t enough to just keep taking a day off here or there.

So now that chunk of time, 5 continuous business days per quarter, is expected and tracked. We still have unlimited flexibility for short cycle stuff to balance our personal lives. Grown Up is our first cultural value and we trust everyone to manage their time and their work load

As a Q4-heavy consumer business, it is “All Hands On Deck” from Oct 1st thru Dec 23rd, so we all blackout that time and instead take our “MTO” together after the holiday - a 2 week Winter Break to reflect & reset on the year

For me, this meant squeezing my Q3 MTO week in last minute. I biked Corner Canyon, hiked Lone Peak, took the kids to the Uintahs, etc.

Requiring a week of MTO doesn’t mean you have to take a lavish vacation. Just disconnect for a week. The beach or your backyard, doesn’t matter.

I’m excited to see the cultural impact of “Mandatory PTO” over time. The objective is to more consistently manage our mental and emotional health, and avoid the burnout that comes from going long stretches without ever really using PTO that’s supposedly “unlimited”.