Getting a new pet can be an emotional experience and one company in the US is offering its employees a chance to enjoy welcoming a new family member into their lives.
Nina Hale, a digital marketing company based in Minnesota, has introduced a “fur-ternity leave” policy which gives new pet parents a week of work-from-home days so they can spend time with their companions as they adjust to a new home.
The policy was introduced after Connor McCarthy, a senior accounts manager at the company, adopted a Goldendoodle named Bentley and wanted to spend some quality time with him.
McMenimen, who is the executive vice president for client services at Nina Hale, told Minnesota Public Radio (MPR): “We realised that we had received these requests a couple of times, and we thought, for so many of our hard-working, dedicated employees, there’s an opportunity for us to reciprocate their dedication and give them additional flexibility when they’re making a major life change.
“And in this case, instead of a human baby, it’s a fur baby.”
In an interview with MPR, McCarthy said working from home helped him connect with his four-legged companion.
Donna Robinson, chief executive of Nina Hale, said the policy is a “part of embracing employee satisfaction as a business priority”.
She said: “If we want to continue to set the example as a top workplace, it is crucial to offer innovative benefits that help to preserve the work-life happiness of our employee owners.”