Entrepreneurs and C-level executives frequently forgo vacations, or they work while they’re supposed to relax, defeating the recharging purpose of a getaway. Springfield, Mo.–based BKD, one of the country’s largest accounting and financial services firms, is breaking that habit by forcing sabbaticals.

Partners at the firm must take a one-month, paid sabbatical every five years. To stymie any temptation to work on the sly, email accounts are disabled.

“The sabbatical serves many purposes,” said Randy Hulz, BKD’s director of human resources. “The time away gives the partners a chance to relax and spend time with their families; that benefit is incalculable. Equally important, it’s a teambuilding exercise. When a partner is away, he or she learns what the rest of the team can do. For team members, it’s a chance to show they can handle extra responsibilities. That enables a company to consider succession planning by identifying the next generation of partners.”