Taking a holiday once in a while is crucial to let us recharge our batteries, get away from the stresses of work, and generally just have some time to ourselves.
Most companies have a set number of paid days employees can take off every year, which normally increases with seniority, but many companies now offer their staff the chance to take as much time off as they like.
The practice of unlimited holiday is one that stirs strong feelings. Advocates say it lets employees manage their own time without arbitrary limits on how much time off they're allowed, while opponents say it leaves employees confused as to how much vacation time they should actually take. As a result, they can end up taking much less than they would if there were specific guidelines in place.
The practice is reasonably common in the USA, particularly in the tech community, but it is now starting to trickle into the UK where the statutory minimum holiday amount is 28 days per year, including bank holidays.
Jobs marketplace Glassdoor, which tracks perks like unlimited holiday, has provided some firms in the UK that have the policy. A handful are US companies with UK operations, while others are UK-based. Check them out below:
Netflix
What they do: Netflix is now among the most recognisable tech companies in the world, providing a widely used movie and TV streaming service, as well as creating original programming. CEO Reed Hastings is a big proponent of unlimited vacation, and takes at least six weeks a year off.
What employees say: "Great company culture, challenging missions, autonomy and valuable feedback from your peers and management."— Former Marketing Employee
What they do: LinkedIn is probably the best known social network for business professionals, allowing people across the world to connect and share ideas. It was acquired by Microsoft in December 2016.
What employees say: "The culture is a solid representation of what they believe important. Diversity, integrity and respect whilst continuously being pushed to take responsibility and ownership."— Current Employee, London.
EventBrite
What they do: Founded in San Francisco in 2006, EventBrite is a platform that allows customers to buy tickets for concerts, sporting events etc, as well as providing a platform to register for free events.
What employees say: "With cutting edge benefits like free daily lunch, all you can eat snacks (lots of choices), and a "take the time you need" PTO policy, Eventbrite has positioned itself to be a unique employer."– Current Employee
See the rest of the story at Business Insider