Empathy Expands Employee Benefits Portfolio with Launch of Pet Loss Support

Empathy, a leading technology company transforming how the world plans for and manages life’s toughest moments, announce Pet Loss Support, a first-of-its-kind solution designed to help people navigate both the emotional and practical challenges following the loss of a pet. This product will be an additional offering to Empathy’s comprehensive employee bereavement benefits allowing employers, big and small, to provide best-in-class support for employees coping with loss. Leading organizations recognize that supporting employees through all forms of loss promotes resilience, well-being and loyalty.

When a beloved pet passes away, the depth of grief is often overlooked and insufficiently acknowledged, both personally and in the workplace. Pets are becoming increasingly prominent in employees’ lives: 62 percent of Americans now live with a pet and 97 percent of pet owners think of their pets as part of the family, increasing demand for pet-inclusive workplace benefits. Three out of five employees have seriously contemplated leaving their current job for one with better benefits, including pet-related perks, even if it meant taking a pay cut. More employers than ever are recognizing the need to offer more diverse and inclusive avenues of benefits, care and support for pet parents, in fact, 64 percent of employers offer pet insurance.

After a loss, grief can have a significant impact on how employees show up in the workplace. Unaddressed grief can result in decreased performance, increased absenteeism and disengagement. As reported in The Grief Tax, research published earlier this year, 90 percent of respondents going through grief experienced difficulties maintaining focus and productivity at work. Until now, employee bereavement policies have often neglected the profound and valid grief that follows pet loss. As a result, many employees are left to manage both emotional upheaval and practical responsibilities alone. More specifically, 58 percent of people grieving the loss of a pet report feeling unsupported during the process.

“We’ve drawn on our bereavement experience to design a holistic support-system tailored for pet owners navigating the grief of unconditional love lost,” said Shay Shafranek, Chief Product Officer at Empathy. “By integrating Pet Loss Support into workplace benefits, leaders can further their commitment to fostering a culture that uplifts employees and supports them through life’s tough moments.”

Empathy’s Pet Loss Support builds upon the tech leader’s signature approach to offering a comprehensive set of resources, including:

• A personalized Care Plan with step-by-step guidance for logistical matters and emotional support after a pet’s death.
• A curated library of articles and guides dedicated to pet grief and healing.
• Audio meditations and reflection prompts to provide comfort and emotional space.
• Journaling tools to help users process and express their feelings.
• Care Team chat access for real-time, human support from Empathy’s dedicated Care Managers.

Whether addressing practical questions or providing tools for emotional processing, Empathy is there to walk alongside pet owners in their journey, even when their grief goes unseen. Empathy is dedicated to expanding its support ecosystem to encompass more modes of care that will open up access and support families during life’s most difficult moments.

For more information about Empathy’s new Pet Loss Support, click here.