Zoetis recognized as top place for women to work

Women seeking a balance between office and home life have an ally in Zoetis, a Florham Park-based pharmaceutical company whose progressive, flexible workplace programs were recognized by Working Mother magazine.

The company, which manufactures and markets vaccines and other pharmaceutical products for animals, has recently been named among the top 10 in Working Mother magazine’s, “100 Best Companies for Working Mothers,’’ list for the second consecutive year.

Caring about its employees’ work-life balance makes great business sense, according to Roxanne Lagano, executive vice president and chief human resources officer at Zoetis.

“Our employees recognize that we care about them,’’ she said. “An employee who feels that we care about them, cares about us. They’re willing to go the extra mile. They’ll treat the company well.’’

Zoetis was ranked highly by Working Mother for its benefits and work-life programs, health and wellness offerings, back-up child care, discounts, paid time off, leaves of absence, adoption assistance and tuition aid.

Working Mother magazine annually recognizes the top 100 companies in the United States that have demonstrated a commitment to workplace programs such as flexibility, advancement, family leave and childcare. Zoetis will be recognized at the Working Mother’s awards gala on Oct. 15 in Manhattan.

“It’s a great recognition for us and we’re so proud to be on this list again,’’ Lagano said, noting that she, herself is a working mother. “It means a lot to me, personally.’’

Raksha Tiwari, senior principal scientist at the Zoetis Research & Development headquarters in Kalamazoo, Mich., will be recognized at the event as the Zoetis 2015 Working Mother of the Year.

Tiwari joined Zoetis in 2008 and has made significant contributions to the development of the company’s animal health solutions that serve both veterinarians and livestock producers, according to a press release from Zoetis.

“When I joined Zoetis I was seven months pregnant, and my manager offered me a flexible work schedule, which helped me to excel at work while balancing a new baby at home,” said Tiwari.

Zoetis, a two-year old company, which for many years was Pfizer’s animal health division, offers progressive benefits to its more than 400 Florham Park employees and its 10,000 worldwide.

One benefit is its back-up childcare center on premises, which provides employees a place to bring their children if a child-care crisis occurs. Additionally, Zoetis offers its workers a week of “caregiver leave,’’ each year. The time may be used to care for a sick child or take a child or a parent to a medical appointment or procedure.

At Zoetis, employees are referred to as “colleagues,’’ and benefits include paid maternity leave and six weeks of paid leave for those who adopt a child. Parents are also given the chance to take up to six months of unpaid leave after the arrival of a child.

Zoetis has been in animal health industry for more than 60 years. It discovers, develops, manufactures and markets vaccines, parasiticides, anti-infectives, medicinal feed additives and other pharmaceutical products. The company serves veterinarians, livestock producers and people who raise and care for farm and companion animals. Its annual revenues topped $4.8 billion in 2014.