Canadian HR Reporter is the national journal of human resource management. It features the latest workplace news, HR best practices, employment law commentary and tools and tips for employers to get the most out of their workforce.
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CANADIAN HR REPORTER APRIL 2018 NEWS 9 'Pawternity' leave now offered by employers Pet-friendly benefits help with employee recruitment, retention, say experts BY MARCEL VANDER WIER IT'S the latest in a long line of trendy work perks. Known as "pawternity" leave, some em- ployers are now offering up to a week of paid time off for new pet owners. In September, craft brewer BrewDog implemented a week- long pawternity leave for em- ployees, according to Tanisha Robinson, CEO of the company's Columbus location. "We know that having a new ar- rival — whether a puppy or rescue dog — is a big commitment," she said. "So we wanted to take the stress out of the situation and let our team members take the time they need to help settle a new fur- ry family member in their home." While many may scoff at this type of leave, it actually has merit, according to Lianna Titcombe, an Ottawa-based veterinarian. When puppies enter a home, they are usually two months old and starving for affection, she said. "ey have this socialization window that basically closes by the time they're 11 or 12 weeks old, so there's this crucial month when they need to be socialized and meet people," said Titcombe. "If those people have that time to be home with their puppy — training them, socializing them, and getting them comfortable with the world — we're going to have less of those fear-aggressive adult dogs that are out there bit- ing children." Allowing employees the op- portunity and time to properly train their puppies could mean broader benefits for both organi- zations and the greater commu- nity, she said. "When the general public hears it, the instant reaction is going to be 'at's kind of crazy,'" said Titcombe. "(But) if we're going to attract and keep the good em- ployees — the ones who are re- ally motivated, innovative think- ers — if we're not offering these things, they're not going to want to work for us. So I think we have to keep up with the new genera- tion, otherwise we're going to be left behind." 'Up-and-coming benefit' e implementation of pawternity leave reveals the value today's re- cruits place on pet-friendly work- places, said Deborah McPhee, an HR professor at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ont. "I absolutely think it's the up- and-coming benefit," she said. "When you're competing for re- sources, what is it that you can do that is different than another com- pany? Because you're all trying to attract them, you're all offering sign-on bonuses," said McPhee. "I'm a little cautious about it, but I think that we have to do what we can to attract people." Pawternity leave appears to be a natural extension of a pet-friendly workplace policy, and could allow workers a more realistic opportu- nity to adopt a pet of their own, she said. "You've allowed the benefit for them to come in with the dog so, to me, it makes total sense that you've got to allow for people to be able to get the dog ready." A majority of Canadian house- holds do include a pet, according to Titcombe. "We're not talking about a very small minority of people here," she said. "e human-animal bond now is really strong." e barrier between work and home continues to lessen, and pet-friendly policies are included in that, said Sue Jacques, a profes- sionalism expert in Calgary. "It's a trend and I don't think it's going to go away," she said. "It's up to leadership to start the con- versation at that level and then be inclusive with everyone." "Pets at work can really cause people problems — they really can," said Jacques. "But they can also create such beautiful, loving environments." As to whether this kind of leave should be extended to owners of other animals, dogs are unique in that they require training to re- frain from urinating in the house, said Titcombe. Cats also have a "socializa- tion window" that closes around nine weeks, but they are a much more independent species and do not require the same amount of hands-on care that a new puppy would, she said. If available, workers should strive to use the pawternity perk responsibly, said Jacques. "You need to be responsible for the timing of that," she said. "Maybe you can do that around the time of a holiday or vacation or long weekend." Becoming pet-friendly Turning a corporate office into a haven for pets should never be a decision made lightly, said Jacques. "Where does the line get drawn? at's the question that business owners need to think about before they bring one pet into the office environment." A company's credibility needs to be taken into consideration, as does the perception of the happy Connecting people with the brands they love Venngo provides organizations the most comprehensive suite of private discount programs. We help people save money, save time and feel good. learn more venngo.com/perks 1.866.383.6646 © Copyright 2018 Venngo Inc. All rights reserved. WorkPerks © is a registered trade-mark of Venngo Inc. All other trade-marks are the property of their respective owners. perks and/or discounts may not be as shown, and are subject to change without notice. V1_20180312 MEDICAL > pg. 10