Should you offer pet benefits?
Petco has compelling evidence for pets to be let in the office doors.
Why You Should Care
Many adopted pets during the pandemic.
But now workers are faced with leaving their pets alone, and this is affecting how they work.
Uncover how employers can better accommodate staff with furry friends.
During the height of the pandemic, it didn’t take long for us to re-evaluate what we do at home. Whether it was watching endless television programs, reading more books, or embodying your grandparents by doing a jigsaw – we all looked to find an escape from the blunt jaws of lockdown boredom.
Some people looked to pets as a way to brighten up their lives, but the realities of the responsibility of pet ownership is impacting their return to offices. On National Pets at Work Day and beyond, it is worth considering whether benefits should be extended to pet owners and if it could help business goals.
A survey conducted by animal retailer Petco spoke to 2,001 US pet owners and discovered how employees view potential pet benefits.
Employees and pets
Petco found that 69% of pet owners are more stressed about what returning to work means for their pets.
So it is no surprise that nearly half of pet owners want their employers to adopt a pet-friendly workplace, and 41% say they would consider switching jobs if it meant they could bring their pet to work.
Amid the ‘Great Resignation‘ which has seen millions reconsider their work-life balance, simple perks like this could enable companies to avoid retention issues.
Of course like any HR policy, rules and guidelines must be in place. After all, untrained dogs can’t run riot in the office causing unprecedented levels of destruction. It is also worth considering the allergies of other staff members who may feel unwell if they are in contact with a colleague’s pet.
However, Petco notes that trained animals can improve the physical health of everyone in the office by reducing people’s heart rate and blood pressure. Animals can also reduce stress and anxiety while encouraging calmness and endocrine responses.
If all that wasn’t enough, Petco also claims that dogs can improve productivity and creativity by encouraging more breaks. Allowing pets in the office also means that owners are less worried about pets at home without bathroom or exercise breaks and are able to stay and enjoy office happy hours or other activities.
Petco SVP of omnichannel experience, Jenny Wolski, gave her perspective on pets and the office: “After two years of remote work, employers returning to an in-office culture are looking for ways to make it a more positive experience for employees.
“Pet-friendly programs can not only offer employers a competitive edge, but they can also provide many health and wellness benefits for both people and pets.
“As we’ve returned to a new hybrid in-office culture with our pets happily in tow, we think going pet-friendly should be a no-brainer for any employer.”
Whether employers will agree remains to be seen, but evidently, those with furry (and sometimes scaley) friends know what they want.
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Senior Journalist
Dan combines his first-hand experience alongside the latest news and opinions in the HR Technology space.