Southern Cross insurer trials a 'duvet day' - but is it new?
The eight hour paid leave can be taken for medical appointments, preventative screening and budgeting or financial advice.
Health insurance provider Southern Cross is giving its employees an extra day of paid leave for personal appointments for an entire year.
The company is trialling out a year of offering up to eight hours of paid "live well" leave which goes beyond its flexibility policies and sick leave entitlement, starting July 1.
Southern Cross health society chief executive Nick Astwick said the entitlement was available to all its staff, including the one-third of staff that had customer facing roles which did not fit flexible working hours.
BusinesNZ chief executive Kirk Hope says more employers with consumer facing workers should copy the trial.
"We think it's crucial we walk our own talk around giving Kiwis assurance about their health and wellbeing," Astwick said.
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The insurer claims it is the only employer in the country to offer the eight hour leave for all employees for medical appointments, preventative screening and budgeting or financial advice, above annual leave.
Southern Cross Health Society's chief executive Nick Astwick says the trial aims to encourage employees to take better care of themselves.
Employment lawyer Ros Webby at Dundas Street said although the law did not require employers to offer additional paid leave for workers, many corporates offered employees flexible working conditions where they could take time off for personal appointments with the expectation of making up for that time later.
"If you are paid to be at work for eight hours a day then you are expected to work for eight hours a day... You don't get paid to skive off to get your teeth checked.
"But bearing in mind we're not slaves and servants, there is a degree of leeway that is expected of a fair and reasonable employer," Webby said.
But Webby said finding time to get away from the office for appointments was trickier for customer-facing workers.
"While it's a positive change, you do have to consider that they are only giving employees eight hours for the entire year. That might not be enough," she said.
Astwick said the eight hours was a starting point as part of the trial.
The hours will also cover pregnancy scans for workers in this trial as the company reviews its parental leave policies.
Astwick said the company would review the success of its trial to see whether there was a corresponding drop-off in sick leave as a result of employees seeking preventative health care.
Southern Cross estimates that sick leave cost the business nearly $1.5 million in 2017.
With around 600 employees, it calculates the cost of providing each employee with eight hours would be about $180,000 per annum.
"We hope our people will be better able to maintain their health and wellbeing by attending those important life admin' appointments and getting in early to address any health or wellbeing concerns," Astwick said.
BusinessNZ's head Kirk Hope said the trial was a "proactive" way to manage its employees' wellbeing, and more employers with consumer facing workers needed to take note.
"This gives people confidence in their employer that they are serious about their workers' wellbeing," he said. T
"Taking time off for a check-up can be quite stressful for those employees who can't take time off during their work day and many doctors aren't open after hours.".
- Stuff
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