How Dads Thrive In This Veterinary Clinic Through Supportive Work-Life Integration
Dr Kenneth Tong is a DADs for Life champion for the workplace who believes that making time for your children is key to building a strong relationship with them. In this story, Kenneth shares how he helps the fathers in his team achieve the goal together.
Company culture has become increasingly important for organisations seeking to attract and retain top talent. For Kenneth Tong, 44, Founder and Veterinary Surgeon of the Animal and Avian Veterinary Clinic (AAVC), this means fostering a strong family culture through workforce policies designed to support dads at work.
A father to three young children aged nine, six and two, Kenneth understands the challenges fathers face—from managing work commitments to household and childcare responsibilities at home after a long day at work. All these responsibilities left Kenneth with minimal time for rest and recharge. “Although I am a business owner, I do not want life to be all about work for myself and my team. I want the fathers working in my clinic to be able to inspire and influence their children in their respective ways, by giving them time to do so,” Kenneth explained.
In his clinic, Kenneth offers a variety of flexible work arrangements for his staff. The company, a winner of the Great Companies for Dads Awards 2023, accommodates shift work, time-off for dads to run errands in between working hours, later start times, staggered lunch hours and birthday leave, among others.
To navigate staffing dynamics, Kenneth maintains an open line of communication with his staff, ensuring everyone is aligned with his approach and ready to support their colleagues when required. For a start, Kenneth cross-trained his staff in dual to triple roles. This enables parents to leave work within 30 minutes during emergencies, with a qualified colleague temporarily covering their duties.
Kenneth is a firm believer that a dad who is free of worries at home, assured of his children and family’s well-being and is financially stable, would be able to better focus and channel his energy while at work. As a result of the supportive work environment, AAVC benefitted from seeing an upbeat mood from employees, higher team morale and a continuing high staff retention rate. In fact, absenteeism, frequency of medical leaves and tardiness are minimal.
Supporting Dads Through Practical Ways
For Raymond Loh, Head Veterinary Technician, who has been working in AAVC since 2008, said that working at AAVC has allowed him to enjoy his work and be a hands-on dad at the same time. With some family members living overseas, Raymond is able to take extra time-off to spend quality time with them during visits. He said, “My family benefitted significantly from the support of AAVC.”
Anghel Corpuz, Senior Veterinary Technician, echoes Raymond’s sentiments. He shared that AAVC allows the accumulation of leaves which means he gets to spend more time with his family in a long stretch, Should Anghel have any leave balance for the year, the company allows the flexibility to convert these leaves into cash. “The policies and workplace practices have enabled me to grow closer to my children and provide for them financially,” said Anghel.
Inspired By His Father
“Although my dad worked long hours, every moment spent with him was a memorable experience. He has shaped my behaviour and values and had a huge influence on who I am today,” said Kenneth. Due to Kenneth’s own experience of his dad having to work long hours, he is determined to improve the situation upstream, by supporting AAVC’s fathers and encouraging them to spend more time with their children. Kenneth also hopes that more companies can join him on this journey to support dads at their workplace.
Employers can start with simple steps, like designating a regular Eat With Your Family Day or allowing employees to bring their children to work during school closures. “From my experience, once the whole organisation is onboard, the team spirit would be strong and staff retention rate would greatly improve,” Kenneth said.
Once a clueless and fearful dad, today, Kenneth has embraced fatherhood, drawing strength from the shared experiences of other fathers in his community. Kenneth and his close group of fellow dads regularly meet up to share their challenges. Through ups and downs, laughter and tears, the fathers have grown closer, knowing that they are not navigating fatherhood alone.
Kenneth hopes to encourage all fathers to commit to being a DAD for Life: “Your influence on your child will have a ripple effect on them and their lives. You can bring out the best in your child by inspiring and influencing them positively. Join us to go on this journey together!”