Pet-friendly policies are becoming popular. Photo / Getty Images
Unlimited sick days, "pawternity" leave and half-day Fridays are some of the inventive benefits being offered by employers in a bid to attract and retain staff.
Frog Recruitment's Frog World of Work Survey canvassed senior Kiwi managers of nearly 61,000 employees and the results showed that, after business growth, the biggest priority for employers today is attraction and retention, with 83 per cent of managers noting it as a major challenge.
However, only a third had initiatives in place to address the situation. Frog's CEO, Jane Kennelly, says this clearly shows that while a workplace plan might sound good in theory, translating it into an efficient, talent-focused and practical solution is missing for most organisations.
"The face of New Zealand business has changed," she says. "The lines are blurred more than ever between our personal and work lives, and the loud message is that it is no longer okay for an employer to pay lip service to work/life balance — it must be a reality. As employers, we need to acknowledge that work is one part of a well-adjusted life and the more contented an employee, the more productive he or she will be."
Those serious about attraction and retention are offering better pay, flexible hours, remote working situations and increased sick leave, with one company extending that entitlement to looking after sick pets and elderly parents.
Kennelly says pet-friendly policies like pawternity have been gaining traction overseas and, based on the survey feedback, are now being added to the suite of benefits on offer in New Zealand businesses.
"In a nutshell, it's a bit like maternity or paternity leave and it's provided when a four-legged friend joins the household. Our furry friends have the ability to pull at our heart strings, so pawternity and pet bereavement leave are smart moves by businesses to anchor employees' hearts and minds by supporting family members called Spot, Bruno, Texas or Lottie."
A day off known as a "you day", duvet day or birthday leave is also growing in popularity.
Kennelly says this is typically given as one additional day a year, with many organisations tying it to a birthday as a way to manage it easily. While this day is sometimes referred to as a mental health day, true mental health issues may first be noticed through employees being more frequently absent from work than usual.
"Employers are increasingly offering extended and even unlimited sick leave, and overuse of this leave could point to an early indication of mental health issues. With 50-80 per cent of New Zealanders experiencing a mental health or addiction problem in their lifetime, workplaces ignore the signs at their peril. We do know that most employers want to do the right thing, it's just a matter of knowing how to respond — and it could be as simple as listening. Creating a safe environment where trust is fostered, and confidentiality is guaranteed, is key. Increased accessibility to Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP) is becoming more commonplace, and this is a thoughtful and greatly appreciated offering given the stresses of today's complex world."
In several of the businesses surveyed, leave trading was on offer. This allows an employee to swap up to one week of their annual leave for cash each year and comes into play after 12 months on the job. "It's important to note that your employer can say no to a request without having to give a reason and they can't force you to cash in annual leave," says Kennelly.
Other businesses cited more commonplace benefits like the provision of health insurance, gym memberships, happy hours, discounts, extended annual leave, free meals or snacks and subsidised childcare. A couple of the more unusual but thoughtful benefits on offer are returning-to-the-workforce mothers working for 30 hours a week but being paid for 40, and a dementia-friendly work policy.
Our furry friends have the ability to pull at our heart strings, so pawternity and pet bereavement leave are smart moves by businesses.
Frog's survey also revealed that businesses are showing "heart" through doing more for people outside of their organisations. Eighty-six per cent of employers identified the importance of social responsibility, and two-thirds of managers turn to their workforce to shape how or where resources are donated for social good.
"While ideas will always trickle down from management, it's positive to see employers leaning more to their people for input in social-good programmes," says Kennelly.
The survey showed community spirit coming in a variety of forms. Businesses are supporting children and youth, sustainability initiatives, health programmes, community events, sporting groups, diversity and welfare. Organisations favoured include Plunket, the Asthma Foundation, KidsCan, Ronald McDonald House, Rainbow Youth and Make A Wish.
Social initiatives include staff volunteering at Garden to Table, Eat My Lunch and the City Mission. Internal environmental and sustainability policies were also named as initiatives that staff respond to positively as they create a sense of well-being and community contribution in the office.
"It's important that businesses align themselves with an endeavour linked with their values," says Kennelly. "This gives the company a purposeful and tangible way of expressing these values, and it provides an important connection between staff, customers and the business. If we can get more Kiwi businesses engaged with such work-related and social benefits for their employees, we'll see a more fulfilled and stable workforce."