Will your firm pick up the scent and offer ‘pawternity’ leave?
Forget flexitime – what employees really want is paid time off to care for their pets, says Flic Everett
Recently, a two-month old spaniel puppy came to live with us. Ever since, daily life has hovered somewhere between Bambi on Ice and Predator. Unfortunately, I work from a home office, and the constant biting, squeaking, crashing and unexpected puddles have dynamited a craterous hole in my schedule. But at least I can return to my desk later on, when he finally collapses. For pet-owners who work in offices, arrangements can be far trickier.
Throwing a sickie to take an ageing cat to the vet, or sobbing through presentations because the family dog has died, are familiar experiences to many – and while Britain is generally considered a nation of animal-lovers, when it comes to extending compassion to their owners, many firms fall short.
Increasingly, forward-thinking businesses are recognising that a happy workforce means a more productive company – and that can mean fully acknowledging employees’ responsibilities to pets as well as profits.
New research from pet insurance company Bought By Many reveals that 82 per cent of pet owners believe employers should offer time off for pet issues, while 80 per cent have used holiday allowance or taken unpaid leave to attend vet appointments.
Worryingly for employers, 59 per cent admit that pet-related issues have affected their performance at work, and more than two thirds would prefer to work for firms with sympathetic pet policies.
Though currently pet-leave may be granted on an ad hoc basis, certain firms, such as Brewdog and Molston Coors, offer leave for employees to mourn a pet, while CA Technologies also allows “pawternity” leave to settle in a new animal.
Pet-friendly policies are a growing trend, believes recruitment expert Katrina Collier, founder of The Searchologist. “There are now many companies who offer time off for pet-related needs,” she says. “Even those that don’t are increasingly open to allowing you to use compassionate leave for a pet bereavement or serious illness.”
Allowing staff to bring dogs to work
‘Truly inclusive companies won’t want to show favouritism to dogs’
is also on the rise, she adds – and even (house-trained) cats are permitted occasionally. I once worked in a magazine office where a vast, elderly tabby snoozed beside its owner’s desk all day, and morale was greatly lifted by his presence.
But are in-office pets and contracts mentioning pawternity leave all a bit “Hoxton start-up in a trampoline factory” – the kind of quirky perk offered by self-consciously millennial employers, but ignored by more formal sectors?
Collier thinks not. “The number of people choosing to own pets rather than have children is on the rise – so it could be a nice way of offering an employee benefit that is more inclusive to childless employees,” she points out. “Offering some flexibility around work location could also be a great alternative for companies who can’t afford to give time off for new pets.” And when a pet dies, “a bereavement is incredibly painful – so compassionate leave should be a given.”
According to another survey, published this week by Yougov, pet owners are increasingly worried about their beasts’ behaviour. One in four dog and cat owners said they were concerned that their pet had shown signs of mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression or obsessive compulsive disorders – and would consider seeking therapy for them.
Not everyone agrees that businesses need to make allowances for employees with pets. Michael Doolin, managing director of Clover HR Consultancy, has over 30 years’
experience working with companies such as British Airways, Ford and PWC, and is sceptical that “pawternity” leave will ever be offered by blue chip firms.
“I am a great dog lover,” he says “and I can certainly see the appeal. But it’s not something I think will become standard – I can’t see it being to a company’s benefit to offer this,” he adds. “Many bosses would view it as self-indulgent and a waste of company money.”
Although, he adds: “I do have sympathy for employees who are coping with the death of a pet – a lot of managers will allow a day off in those circumstances, but it won’t be written into in the contract.’”
Despite his doubts, some large companies – particularly those relating to animals – are ahead of the curve. Pets at Home aims to offer “a good work-life balance”, says Louise Stonier, its chief people and legal officer, “and balance includes pets, so we have a dedicated ‘pet-ernity’ leave policy, where we offer paid leave to help employees settle a new dog, cat or horse into their family. We have had amazing feedback from the scheme.”
Stonier hopes that more companies will note the benefits. Currently, they don’t offer compassionate leave to grieve for a pet – but, “managers can use their discretion to support colleagues”.
Tails.com, a dog food manufacturer, has 56 dogs at its head office on an average day. Its in-house vet, Sean Mccormack, is in favour of more companies evolving pet-friendly policies, as mental health becomes a vital factor in employee satisfaction. “Research shows significant emotional benefits to pet ownership. Providing ‘paw-ternity’ leave for new pet owners is very well received,” he says.
“Similarly, an empathetic bereavement policy should be considered. Many grieving pet owners report that employers just don’t understand the impact.”
The company even runs a “pooch plan”, allowing team members to request a short-term flexible working arrangement. But while some businesses are embracing the fluffy approach, it’s highly unlikely ever to be made part of employment law.
“There is no legal requirement for employers to allow time off when a pet dies,” explains Kate Palmer, of global employment law consultancy Peninsula. “It’s down to the discretion of their employer and it is perfectly acceptable for them to refuse such a
‘Many grieving pet owners say that employers just don’t understand’
request.” While employees reserve the right to leave for emergencies that involve a dependent, “specifically, the legislation does not mention any sort of animal”.
In reality, though, she says, “employers should not underestimate the impact that the loss of a pet can have on their employees and, in particular, how much work they are going to be able feasibly to do. Employers could consider permitting a day of annual leave, or expecting time taken to be worked back later on.”
So, while some firms are furfriendly, for many companies it’s a “paw” show. It’s time they considered changing their approach, suggests Jo Cresswell, of Glassdoor, one of the world’s largest recruiting sites.
“What started arguably as a PR stunt, is now being offered by compassionate companies that understand the significant role that dogs – or any other pet – play in their owners’ lives,” she says. But she does sound a note of warning.
“Truly inclusive companies must ensure they don’t show favouritism to dogs,” says Cresswell. “All types of pets must be considered when implementing pet-focused employee benefits – why should a cat owner miss out when dogs are allowed in the workplace?” she demands. “Or rabbit owners? Or even those with iguanas at home?”
Most employers, however, should draw the line at snakes – there are enough of those in the corporate world as it is.