What’s new in paw-some perks? Insurance, leaves & more

New-age companies are increasingly turning petfriendly, accommodating their employees’ four-legged friends in not just the workplace but also workplace policies.

Recognising that not all employees may have children or traditional family structures, a clutch of startups like WeWork, DriveU, InMobi, Simpl and Bizongo are rolling out a host of measures for employees with canine companions.

Moving beyond just allowing pets at offices, they are including them under insurance plans, rolling out special leave for pet care, introducing employee resource groups and adoption drives, as well as allowing employees time off to mourn the loss of their pets.

Startup founders told ET that such initiatives are important because employees consider their furry friends a part of their family, and pets also have a positive impact on morale and productivity. Besides, when pets are allowed at the workplace, they reduce stress and break the monotony of the daily grind.

Companies like WeWork India have included pets under the definition of family for bereavement leave.

“Understanding the importance of taking time for grieving when we lose our animal companions, employees can take up to 10 days of bereavement leave to mourn their loss,” said Raghuvinder Singh Pathania, head of community and building operations, WeWork India.

The co-working company is also planning an adoption drive in a few months to promote responsible pet ownership and support local animal welfare organisations.

Bizongo has expanded the scope of its bereavement leave policy to include pets. The B2B tech startup has also created a group for pet parents which organises regular meet-ups for employees who have a shared interest in animals.

Pet insurance, which is generally offered as an add-on with group health insurance, typically covers hospitalisation, surgery expenses, accidental fracture, OPD expenses and long-term care.

Encouraging Adoption
Startups such as Dozee and Powerplay are among those that offer pet insurance to employees through platforms like Policybazaar. Last week, Swiggy rolled out a Paw-ternity Policy for pet parents, under which employees will receive an additional paid day off on the day they bring their pet home, to help them settle in.

Designated Spaces
While cats, dogs and sometimes even fish are allowed at some of these new-age companies, InMobi is evaluating the possibility of creating dedicated pet-friendly facilities within its workplace, such as outdoor areas or designated indoor space where colleagues can bring their pets. "These areas will be equipped with amenities to ensure the comfort and safety of pets," said Sahil Mathur, CHRO, people and culture, InMobi Group.

Time Off
Checkout network Simpl has introduced a pet adoption and pet care leave policy under which employees can take up to five days off in a year for purposes like pet neutering and spaying, and visits to a veterinarian. Nearly two dozen employees have availed of this policy so far, said Sneha Arora, CHRO at Simpl. Some like DriveU are encouraging employees to adopt street dogs. "If an employee adopts a street dog (indie), we provide additional benefits like seven days of leave, and support for not just vaccinations and neutering but also for one month of food," said Ashok Shastry, co-founder of DriveU.