Scottish company gives staff time off to care for new pets

Staff benefits around the world are being examined in the press after a Scottish brewing company, Brewdog, brought in an unusual staff benefit labeled “pawternity leave” earlier this year.

Brewdog workers who adopt a dog or puppy are now entitled to take one week’s paid leave to care for their new pet, and they are also allowed to bring their dogs to the office.

While many have slated the move as a PR stunt, Brewdog claims their aim is to support employees and “be the best company to work for.”

Generous perks can indeed be a good way for employers to improve job satisfaction amongst the workforce. In an article for IZA World of Labor, Eugenio Proto sets out the benefits of worker happiness including a 12% boost in productivity.

Other firms with unusual benefit schemes are Apple and Facebook, who offer to pay for female workers to freeze their eggs, and online retailer Boxed, who contribute towards the cost of employees’ weddings.

Proto states that “both a temporary increase in happiness and long-term changes in baseline happiness are associated with greater productivity” and on this basis “companies can be encouraged to introduce policies to increase employee happiness.”