What is pawternity leave and why is it important?
In this blog we look at the benefits of pawternity leave and share companies that are offering this in demand workplace benefit.
12th Jun 2024
What is pawternity leave?
Yes, that’s right ‘pawternity leave’ (also known as furturnity leave) is a real thing, but what is it? It’s similar to maternity and paternity leave, hence the name - essentially it’s paid time off to take care of a new pet. Although not a legal obligation, it’s a unique perk that employers can add to their offering. And there is demand, with on average between 6-8% of candidates on the Flexa platform searching for roles that offer pawternity leave as an employee benefit.
Additionally, almost a third (31.4%) of employees mention they would be more inclined to invest in a pet if their workplace had flexible policies that support this.What are the benefits of pawternity leave?
1. Bonding time: Taking pawternity leave allows you uninterrupted time to bond with your new pet. Whether it's a puppy learning to trust you or a kitten exploring their new surroundings, this initial bonding period is crucial for building a strong relationship.
2. Training support: During pawternity leave, you can focus on training your pet. This could include house training, basic commands, or even socialisation skills. With your undivided attention, your pet can learn faster and adapt better to your household rules.
3. Reduced stress: Bringing a new pet into your home can be stressful, especially if you're also trying to manage work responsibilities. Pawternity leave reduces this stress by allowing you to dedicate time solely to your pet's needs without the pressure of work deadlines or meetings.
4. Improved productivity: When you return to work after pawternity leave, you're likely to be more focused and productive. Knowing that your pet is settled and comfortable at home gives you peace of mind, allowing you to concentrate on your tasks without worrying about their well-being.
5. Employee loyalty: Companies that offer pawternity leave demonstrate their commitment to supporting employees in both their professional and personal lives. This gesture fosters loyalty and appreciation among employees, leading to higher job satisfaction and retention rates.
Pawternity leave isn't just about cuddling cute pets (although that's a big perk!), it's about creating a supportive environment where employees can thrive both at work and at home. There are many other ways companies can support employees with pets, including creating dog friendly workplaces.Companies that give employees pawternity leave
Employee perks have always been used as a way to create a unique offering that helps retain and attract talent. Benefits such as pawternity leave may not have always made the cut, but now there are plenty of workplaces offering it as an additional perk (including some big names); to name a few:
- Mars : Mars have a diverse and expanding portfolio of confectionery, food, and petcare products and services,
- Howells : Howells was established in 1991 to provide share scheme administration solutions for listed companies with varying and complex needs.
- Perlego: Perlego's ambition is to become the world’s online learning library, a single place where learners can instantly access all of the world’s academic content for less than the price of a single book.
- ProfitAbility Business Simulations: A company that creates memorable learning experiences which make people better at their jobs. Their games enable organisations to have a positive impact on their people, planet and profit.
- GrantTree: GrantTree is a leading R&D tax and grants specialist, helping startups, tech companies and other UK innovators to find valuable funding.
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Flexible working as a pet owner
Flexible working itself is a fantastic employee benefit that enables pet owners to give their pets the time and care they need - not to mention save on expenses relating to care.
Being able to work at home or take your dog / pet to work means that owners can feel reassured they are in good care and are getting the regular exercise and social interaction that they need.
At Flexa, the team are more than fond of dogs and animals in general. We even have two dogs on the ‘pawroll’; there’s Gruff, who is our Chief Morale Officer, and Heidi, our Chief Sass Officer, often seen appearing on Flexa’s TikTok account… she’s somewhat of a star. You can also find out more about them on our team page.@flexa_careers A day in the life of a #flexiblefloof - @heidihotdog #wfh #dailyroutine #dog
♬ original sound - Flexa Careers
Flexible working doesn’t just help pet owners, it helps our pets. Having spoken to the team here at Flexa, here is what they had to say about the benefits of flexible working as a pet owner.
Maurice - Co-founder
“When we first got our dog, I was primarily working in an office which was not dog-friendly, so I didn’t get to spend much time with him for the first 6 months. Flexible working has completely changed that, as I now work from home regularly, plus our optional office is dog-friendly. Thankfully, I now get to spend almost every day with the hound.”
Aqua - Operations & Partnerships Lead
“I get to go out for walks throughout the day with Leila, helping both of our physical and mental health; she also makes a great sofa cuddle buddy when working. Because she's not left home alone all day, this means myself and my partner can happily go out during the evening. It also allows extra time for dog training, meaning we can take her everywhere with us, even travelling and working from anywhere! If I'm working alone at home, she makes it feel a lot less lonely and she honestly warms my heart so much.”
“For Leila: she gets walkies, games and more walkies, she isn’t left home alone all day, gets cuddles, and is able to travel the world and in general just live life to the full - and, of course, makes time for creating TikToks with the rest of the Flexa fur clan.”@flexa_careers Tonight’s episode of ‘Paw & Order’ is 🔥 #flexacareers #flexa100 #flexiblework #wfh #remotework #travel #dogtok #lawandorder
♬ original sound - Flexa Careers
Fliss - Design Lead
“If I couldn't work flexibly I would never have been able to adopt our two high-maintenance rescues - sometimes they’re a pain, but I love them to bits.”
Shannen - Social Media Lead
“Getting a dog is something my boyfriend and I had talked about for a while, but we wanted to make sure we were in a position to provide a loving and stable home with dog-friendly schedules.
Heidi is my first-ever dog and I was desperate to spend as much time with her as possible before having to return to the office. My employer at the time allowed me to work from home for 2 weeks after we brought her home, and I’m so grateful! My boyfriend has always worked remotely, but puppies are hard work and it would have been unfair to leave him to deal with the chaos alone. Those two weeks at home allowed me to settle Heidi in and make her feel at home. I was able to train her a lot quicker and we formed an excellent bond.
Heidi is 4 now and, for the last two years, I’ve been working fully remotely with Flexa. I can’t stress the difference it’s made to our lives. We’ve relocated to a beautiful home in Devon and have plenty of time to enjoy walks and playtime, pretty much whenever we like! I love having her by my side while I work and Heidi has become a much-loved member of the team. I travel to London once a month to meet up with my colleagues and Heidi is always welcome to tag along, which has become one of her favourite activities. I’m extremely grateful to have the flexibility I do. I can’t imagine going back to an office and having to be without her 5 days a week!”