“Pets need to settle into their new home, and just like a child, establish a bond during the initial phases of ownership.”
A new type of paid leave sweeping most of the nation and some parts of the world is referred to as “pawternity” leave. Provisions are now being made in certain companies to allow employees paid leave for their new furry friends. Tech companies and pet companies are among the first to offer this type of leave. However, it is gaining traction in many more companies as well. The staff benefits to this type of paid leave are tremendous. People who work full time and are trying to train their pet to become house-trained and obedient often run into many obstacles. New little fur babies require a lot of attention when you first get them, and even after.
The idea of getting paid while caring for a new pet may seem a little strange, considering some companies don’t even offer paid maternity and paternity leave. However, in the United Kingdom pawternity leave is fairly common. Pawternity leave made headlines during the beginning of 2017 when a “Scottish brewery in Ohio called BrewDog announced their pet parental leave program for employees with a new animal at home.” The company is the first in the United States to offer this type of program, but certainly was not the last.
Most companies that have adopted this type of leave are offering paid time off for one week. Pets need to settle into their new home, and just like a child, establish a bond during the initial phases of ownership. A pet is considered a member of the family, and by offering this type of leave a company may boost employee morale. A more content workforce means a more productive one. The return on investment for pawternity leave is worth it.”One such recent report into the issue found that employee happiness boosted productivity by 12%, while unhappy workers were 10% less productive.”
Interestingly, this type of program reduces stress among the workforce that takes advantage of it if available. Loss of productivity can occur if the employee becomes stressed or ill. Pets are companions and it has been shown that pet therapy has a positive impact on individuals. Therefore, it would make sense to offer a program that helps make employees healthier, happier, and less stressed. In turn, increasing investment on return by making more productive workers. Here’s to all the fur babies!
