The trend for introducing paid leave for those taking on a new furry companion is continuing to gain momentum. We have covered this previously but it does appear to be a growing trend.
A step on from allowing dogs in the office, ‘pawternity’ gives employees the opportunity to bond with their new pet, as well as train them and begin the socialisation process.
Several organisations have introduced these policies, offering anything from a day’s paid leave up to a week off. Craft beer brewer BrewDog is one such company that has taken to offering the benefit. In it’s list of company benefits it acknowledges that taking on a new dog is a big commitment.
‘Gaining trust, housetraining and working out routines take time, so we have decided to make things easy by offering Puppy Leave,’ states Brewdog’s policy. ‘It’s like Parental Leave, but with more throwing of sticks. Take on a new dog (either puppy or a rescue dog) and our staff can have a week away from work to start that lifetime’s bond. We also allow dogs in our offices, so they’ll never be too far away!’
Brewdog aren’t the only ones offering the perk, Pets at Home offers one paid day off to any employee who has taken on a new dog, cat or horse and believe that this is a benefit that employees really value.
In 2016, Banfield Pet Hospitals researched the benefits of pet-friendly workplaces. It found that 88 per cent of employees and 91 per cent of HR decision makers agree that having pets in the workplace increases morale, while 86 per cent of employees and 92 per cent of HR decision makers said it reduced stress.
