Should you have a hackweek?

Several companies I’ve worked over the years have had something like a Hackweek. It’s an occasion where essentially all (or at least most) of engineering shuts down for a week so people can pursue projects unrelated to their day-to-day job. Sometimes it’s quarterly; other times, annual. One thing is certain: everything grinds to a halt. So the real questions are: “what is it really for?” and “is…