With the current culture of abrupt, sweeping layoffs in the workplace, many employees feel like mere numbers. Yes, there is a bottom line, but there comes a point when we must acknowledge that, in the words of Dr. Seuss, “People are people, no matter how small.” Each employee should be valued for more than what they contribute or accomplish.
Employees are leaving their jobs of their own accord as well. Pressure to perform and lack of compassion from employers can lead to anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders. In a poll of more than 2,000 working Americans, researchers found that 28 percent say they’ve left a job in the last two years because of its impact on their mental health. Nearly two in five Americans have considered quitting for this reason. While the conversation around mental health is gaining momentum, and many companies have instituted paid mental health days, employees still feel anxiety or embarrassment when it comes to speaking with employers about their needs.
What does compassion in the workplace look like? Erika Sinner, CEO of Directorie and author of “Pets Are Family,” has created a workplace culture that strives to understand employees and care for them on a deeper level. One of the ways she does this is by providing pet bereavement leave to her employees.
Many pet owners think of their four-legged friends as family. Pets become our best friends and closest confidants. Pet owners often feel more pain over the loss of their pets than the loss of a family member. Sinner is a leading expert in navigating pet loss and grief. Her book outlines what pet bereavement leave is, and how companies can actually benefit from providing it to their employees.
Why Should pet bereavement leave be a policy?
1. It shows that employers care
Implementing pet bereavement leave is a small way for employers to show employees that they care about them as people, not just job titles.
Sinner explains, “you always see these posters on the wall where they’re like, if you take care of your employees, they’ll take care of you. Companies don’t, they don’t. They don’t do it.”
Employees feel more seen, loved, and understood when their employers go out of their way to take care of them. Sinner says it’s important to emphasize that employees are people, not just workers. “[You] are always so much more than your job title,” she says.
Pet bereavement leave gives employees the option to take additional time off to grieve, without having to ask for it and potentially feel embarrassed or ashamed. Sinner says, “having a single day in a policy in black and white signals to your employee, their life outside of work impacts them. Even that says, ‘yes, we understand that it hurts.’ You can take a day beyond that.”
2. Policies like this attract employees
Companies with an official pet bereavement leave policy are more attractive to pet owners. Forbes reported 70 percent of households have animals. Pet loss is an issue that affects the majority of Americans, meaning that companies can count on many employees needing pet bereavement leave.
Brooke Martin, Senior Marketing Coordinator at Sinner’s company, Directorie, says, “In April 2023, our beloved family dog, Clifford, passed away. My only option was to use a sick day to allow myself a moment to grieve, but the following day, my company expected business as usual. However, it was during my job search in the fall of 2023 that I discovered Directorie and was pleasantly surprised to find ‘Pet Bereavement’ listed under the benefits section. This rare and compassionate offering stood out to me.”
3. It increases employee productivity
Grief permeates every aspect of life, including our work. Poor mental health can lead to poor productivity. It also influences a person’s ability to interact with co-workers and clients. This not only adversely affects the company’s ability to flourish financially and thrive culturally, but it also affects its relationships with clients.
“It’s really just allowing them a moment to breathe and ease themselves back in,” says Sinner. “It’s actually really beneficial for your own organization because how your employee shows up in the quality of their work in their personality for your own customers…So, it’s actually not just from an employee retention perspective, but also your own clientele can benefit.”
4. It cultivates compassion and community in the workplace
Talking about loss should not be taboo in the workplace. Loss and grief are universal to the human experience. When pet bereavement leave is available, it gives employees permission to check in with each other. Sinner remembers her feelings of insecurity when her pup, Kingston passed. “Are my employees going to think I’m a bad leader? I wondered, will they think that I’m weak or why can’t I just get it together?”
A manager acknowledging an employee’s pain sends a clear message that the pain is real and warranted. This also gives employees confidence to speak candidly about what they are reasonably able to handle while they are grieving.
Not everyone will want to talk about grief, but knowing that having these conversations is acceptable and even encouraged helps employees feel less alone. Sinner notes, “[Employees] decide if they want to open up or not open up, but they feel supported.”
5. Pet bereavement leave contributes to increased employee retention
When employees feel supported, they stay. Period. Perhaps the greatest human desire is to be known and loved for who we are. Pet bereavement leave tells employees that they are seen and their need for time off is not only valid, but understood.
“I really just believe pets are family,” adds Sinner. “I think they’re part of your everyday life. They’re part of your routine. Everywhere you walk in your house, you have a memory of them or they’re doing something.”
Employers would never deny an employee leave when a family member passes. To do so would seem almost inhumane and employees would leave. Why wouldn’t employers offer the same leave for pets?
Do you have thoughts about pet bereavement leave or have you seen it in action in your workplace? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!
More on Pet Bereavement Leave:
Additional resources:
- The Pet Loss Support Page: https://www.aplb.org/
- Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice: https://www.lapoflove.com/