What is Tinder Leave?

Tinder Leave is essentially a wellness benefit. It is time-off provided to an employee for the purpose of going on dates and pursuing romantic relationships on the dating app, Tinder. It aims to encourage employees to take time off to build meaningful social connections outside of work.

Will it benefit employees if employers introduced it in Hong Kong?

Gushcloud International, an entertainment company headquartered in Singapore, is currently offering  Tinder  Leave  to  eligible  employees  in  Indonesia,  Malaysia,  the  Philippines,Singapore, South Korea and Thailand; while it appears Whiteline Group, a Thai marketing agency, is currently offering it to employees in Thailand where the company operates. In either case, it seems that the benefit is not (yet) being offered in Hong Kong.

In Hong Kong, the fertility rate is at an all-time low prompting the Government to roll out a series of measures including a cash bonus of HK$20,000 for each newborn. The number of unmarried persons in Hong Kong has also increased following the general trend of marriage postponement or non-marriage over the past few years. Further, the proportion of elderly persons aged 65 and over is also projected to increase from 20.5% in 2021 to 36% in 2046.

Against this backdrop, offering progressive perks such as Tinder Leave may allow employers to be in a better position to compete for and retain talent.

Employees, particularly those who are at the stage of life where they are looking for a partner and considering marriage, will likely value Tinder Leave. In a city like Hong Kong, which is notorious  for  being  one  of  the  most  overworked  cities  in  the  world,  where  median  hours worked  consistently range  above  40  hours  per  week across  all  sectors,  it  would  not  be surprising if many employees find it challenging to find time outside of work to date and meet new people. Many employees in these situations may eventually find themselves completely consumed by work and this would ultimately affect employee wellbeing and morale.

By providing time-off to employees to date and meet new people, this could enable employees to  better  balance  their  career  and  relationship  goals,  and  boost  employee  wellbeing  and morale. It may also strengthen employee loyalty as employees may be more inclined to work for an employer that takes care of their wellbeing. Ultimately, it could be a win-win situation for employers and employees.

Food for thought

Tinder Leave or any other similar leave that would allow employees to take time-off to date and build meaningful social connections outside of work is still a very new concept. However, with several sizable companies having set an example of offering it in several Asia Pacific countries, it is possible that this progressive benefit may develop into a mainstream benefit.Even if Tinder Leave is not something an employer is considering to offer right now, it is definitely  something  an  employer  should  have  on  their  radar  and  employers  should stay abreast of what their competitors are doing so that they can remain competitive.

For those employers who are considering offering Tinder Leave or a similar type of leave,since there is currently no legislation regulating this type of leave, employers have a lot of flexibility over how it wishes to provide this benefit. Some key considerations may include how many days to offer, and whether it should be paid or unpaid time-off. In devising a Tinder Leave (or similar leave) policy, employers should ensure that it does not infringe any anti-discrimination legislation. For example, if the benefit is only made available to women then this would  breach  the  Sex  Discrimination  Ordinance.  In  any  event,  employers  should  clearly communicate  to  their  employees  the  eligibility  criteria  and  other  details  of  the  benefit  to minimise disputes. We would also be pleased to assist you in reviewing or drafting a Tinder Leave (or similar leave) policy.