Why are some Singapore companies willing to bear the expense to implement pet-care leave as a form of benefit?

Synopsis: Every second Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests.

While fewer people are keen on having children, more are becoming pet owners, based on statistics from the Animal and Veterinary Service and an Euromonitor International report.

But what happens if you have a full-time job and your pet is sick? 

Instead of requiring their employees to take urgent leave, some firms in Singapore have begun rolling out pet care leave, for "pawrents" who need to take their furkids to the vet.

Only a small number of firms have started implementing it, but the response from employees has so far been overwhelmingly positive. 

In this episode, ST assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong and her co-host - journalist Aqil Hamzah - ask their two guests whether having a separate leave category the caring of pets is ultimately a good thing, and whether it’d affect the morale of those without pets. 

The two guests are: Emilyn Ang, founder of public relations and marketing agency Brave Communications, which provides three days of “pawrental” leave a year; and Diane Lee, a senior HR business partner for South-east Asia at recruitment firm Robert Walters.

Highlights (click/tap above):

01:34  Considerations behind implementing pet care leave

06:45  Advantages of having pet care leave

09:12  Why employees with no pets shouldn’t feel resentment

14:30 Leave days as an expense, and how firms can balance out the cost

17:30 Are more Singapore firms ready to roll out pet care leave  

Read ST's Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH

Read Aqil Hamzah’s articles: https://str.sg/Cc85

Hosts: Lynda Hong ([email protected]) and Aqil Hamzah

Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim

Executive producer: Ernest Luis

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