More companies are offering pet-friendly policies, dubbed "pawternity" benefits, which could translate into employee engagement and retention, according to the Society for Human Resource Management.
"Over the last five years we've seen this [trend] increase," said Steven Feldman, executive director at the Human Animal Bond Research Institute, which conducts research into the health benefits of having pets. "A lot of millennials, before they have children, often end up with feline or canine children as a way to start [parenting]."
The pet benefits companies offer can take different forms. Some companies allow pets at the workplace, while other organizations offer pet health insurance, pet bereavement leave or time off to take a pet to the vet.
Pet-friendly policies could lead to more engaged employees, according to a survey of 2,002 full-time workers conducted by HABRI and Nationwide, an insurance and financial services company. The survey revealed 90 percent of employees in pet-friendly workplaces feel highly connected to their company's mission, willing to recommend their company to others and fully engaged in their work.
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