Benefits of a Pet Friendly workspace

Following the pandemic, fewer employees are willing to leave their pets alone for hours while they're at work. Working from home with our fur children nearby makes the idea seem inconceivable or even negligent.

To avoid being separated from their canines, it's not unheard of for workers to quit for remote roles or take up positions at pet-friendly workplaces.

With more people prioritising their dogs, companies face the unique challenges of making themselves attractive to current and prospective employees who are also dedicated pet owners. But what strategies can companies adopt to meet these specific needs? Read on, and you'll find out.

What's Brought This On?

A study by TD ARMITRADE reveals that millennials, currently the largest pet-owning group, treat pets like their starter kids. They tend to invest more in health and veterinary care and are more likely to take leave to care for sick or new rescues than other generations.

While pet ownership has evolved in recent decades, COVID-19 served as a significant catalyst for transforming and intensifying our attachment to our beloved pets. Now, it might be potentially challenging, especially for those who first adopted pets during successive lockdowns, to picture a working scenario that doesn't feature a dog or a cat.

What Are The Perks Of Animal-Friendly Workplaces?

Free snacks or beer in the office on Fridays, once favourable perks, are no longer standout benefits to the average employee.

However, allowing pet lovers to bring trained dogs into the office may capture the attention of certain employees.

The many benefits of being in an office with well-behaved animals may include some of the following.

Improved Morale At a Pet-friendly Workspace

Pets can provide a calming presence at work, offering comfort and happiness to workers who need a lick or a snuggle from their four-legged coworkers.

Improved Work-Life Balance

Striking the ideal work-life balance is essential but sometimes difficult to achieve. Having a pet around encourages people to go outside and walk their dogs, thus regularly breaking free from their workspaces and the unchanging humdrum of office life.

Increased Productivity and Flexibility

Worried about their absent pets, employees might struggle to give their undivided attention to their work. Or, in a rush home to feed Fido at the end of the day, they might not have extra time to dedicate to projects.

With their pets in sight - fed, watered, played with and cared for staff will likely be more engaged and flexible with their time at pet-friendly workspaces.

Improved Professional Relationships At a Pet-friendly Workspace

Having a dog around might dissolve tense working relationships and facilitate better collaboration. A cute puppy may act as a catalyst, breaking the ice between colleagues and fellow pet guardians, helping to mend strained relationships, kickstart friendships, or initiate dog-related conversations.

Reduced Financial Stress

With the amount we spend on our beloved furry pals, they pose an enormous financial responsibility.

Bringing pets to work reduces money typically spent on professional pet services like daycare or dog walking.

What Are The Downsides Of a Pet-Friendly Workspace?

Before implementing pet-friendly policies, businesses need to carefully consider the potential challenges associated with having furry faces around the office.

Property Damage

As cute and cuddly as they are, young dogs and pups can sometimes exhibit destructive patterns of behaviour. Accidents like urinating on floors or scratching furniture might happen, especially since pet guardians can’t always be around to supervise their pets while working.

General Mess

Offices committed to being pet-friendly must undergo regular vacuuming and cleaning to eliminate dog fur, dog-related mess and distinct animal smells, of course.

Pet Allergies

Pet dander can make the lives of highly allergic coworkers miserable. Bringing pets to work might not be pleasant for others if being around pets triggers severe allergic reactions or discomfort.

Dog Phobias and Fears

Being scared of dogs can be hugely traumatising for those who’ve had bad past experiences or haven’t grown up around pets.

Having pets around might improve the workplace experience for some but can have the potential to create an unsafe environment for others who might eventually quit.

Fights and Bites

Like humans, not all dogs get on. If dogs feel threatened or simply don’t like each other, they might end up fighting, showing aggression and hurting each other.

Similarly, overwhelmed, overstimulated or fearful pets in an unknown environment might lash out at strangers trying to pet or play with them.

Noise And Disturbance

Having a dog or two in the office can boost morale, leading to increased engagement and productivity, but a pet-friendly workspace can also have the reverse effect.

Even the most well-behaved and socialised dog might occasionally bark during meetings or beg for attention when there’s work to be done.

What Are Dog-Friendly Alternatives To Bringing Pets To Work?

While a business might be dog-friendly, the offices they lease might not be. Or other employees might be against pets roaming the workplace.

Do you want to retain and recruit your majority pet-loving workforce? There are other ways to support their commitment to their four-legged children without physically allowing animals inside the workplace.

Offer Pet Insurance As An Ancillary Benefit

With more employees delaying having children, their pets are their fur babies and possibly entire worlds.

With that said, bringing up a pet is more expensive than before. The costs quickly add up, from emergency vet visits to prescription food and everything in between. Providing pet insurance to employees might relieve some of the financial pressure of owning and caring for a pet.

Creating Pet-Free Zones

If there are people hesitant about animals being brought to work, they might be imagining out-of-control pets running amok, tearing the place up.

To allay fears and concerns, create pet-free zones where coworkers won’t have to interact with animals in the office if they’re afraid, allergic, or simply don’t like dogs.

Criteria For a Pet-friendly Workspace

Pet-friendly workplace policies should include rules to prevent the workplace from descending into chaos with untrained and unsocialised pups filling the hallways.

Potty Trained

Extremely young puppies and incontinent canines might soil floors and carpets.

To stop this happening, ensure that only potty-trained pets are allowed in the office. They might occasionally have accidents, but they’ll typically let you know when they need to go outside.

Trained And Well Mannered Dogs

To prevent dog fights, bites, persistent barking and unsocial behaviour, only allow unaggressive, calm and well-trained dogs who can sit quietly without requiring constant attention.

Vaccinated, Healthy and Clean

Ultimately, to avoid the spread of disease, dogs at the workplace should be up-to-date on their vaccines and have a clean bill of health.

Moreover, pets should be clean and well-groomed, ensuring that the office doesn't become dirt or fur-riddled.

Waivers Signed by Dog Owners

Dog owners hold full responsibility for their pets. It's on them to clean up, take control and care for their four-legged companions while making sure they don't damage office property, jeopardise the safety of others or become an annoyance or distraction.

Should pet owners fail to comply with these, or if a dog misbehaves or doesn't adjust to office life, the option to bring a pet to work might be stripped. Additional expenses should be covered if a pooch destroys office property or if others require medical attention.

Takeaway: Workspaces Can Be Made More Pet-Friendly

The face of pet ownership has immensely changed, with dogs and pets regarded as an integral part of the family.

For working dog parents everywhere, the prospect of leaving their dogs alone at home isn't appealing, especially following work-from-home situations that materialised during lockdown. Facing this dilemma, some employees might decide to look for remote positions or gravitate toward jobs at pet-friendly workspaces rather than being separated from their precious pets. In an effort to recruit and retain pet-loving employees, business owners might entertain the idea of pet-friendly workspaces, permitting trained and well-behaved pooches onto the premises.

But for pet-friendly workspaces to run harmoniously, the peaks and pitfalls need to be properly considered, requiring robust policies that prevent negative outcomes from occurring, such as destruction of property, physical endangerment and more.