Do you wish you could work for a company that lets you bring your dog, cat, bird, lizard, or other pet with you every day? Many businesses, from small shops to big corporations, have rules that allow pets. If your company doesn’t allow pets yet, you might be able to talk to the people in charge about letting pets come to work.
What is a workplace that is good for pets?
Research shows that workers who can bring their pets to work are happier, more productive, and stay at their jobs longer. In response to these discoveries, more and more companies are putting in place pet-friendly policies, ranging from rare “bring your pet to work” days to all-day access for pets.
Benefits of Workplaces That Allow Pets
Many studies have looked into the idea of letting people bring their pets to work. Pet-friendly policies that let people bring their pets to work regularly or sometimes are good for both workers and employers in many ways. Nationwide and the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) did a study that found that workers who work for pet-friendly companies:
- Feel more involved in their work Are more likely to say they have a good relationship with their boss and co-workers
- Feel that their company cares about both their physical and mental health and well-being.
- Are less likely to miss work for health or recovery reasons
- Are more likely to tell others about their place of work
- Are more likely to stay with their job for the next year
Types of Workplaces Where Pets Are Welcome
Pet-friendly policies have been put in place by a wide range of businesses, from small offices to big corporations. Many companies that focus on pets are pet-friendly, but many other companies have also made it a point to be pet-friendly. Pet-friendly policies could include letting people bring their pets to work and giving them time off to get to know a new pet. They could also include mourning leave for when a pet dies, money for pet supplies, and insurance for pets through the company.
Some pet supply shops, pet groomers, veterinary offices, pet insurance companies, doggie daycare centers, and pet product makers are examples of general workplaces that allow pets. If you’re looking for a new job and want to find companies that are pet-friendly, Rover keeps a list of dog-friendly companies in order of how pet-friendly they are. Some of the businesses that are most dog-friendly are:
- Amazon
- Trupanion
- Kinship
- PetDesk
- StrideHealth
- Petco
- Nestle Purina Petcare
- WeWork
- VMWare Inc.
- Petsmart
- Procore Technologies
- Zogics
- TripAdvisor
How to Make Your Workplace Pet-Friendly?
If the company you work for doesn’t currently accept pets, talk to management about introducing a pet-friendly policy in your workplace. Show what’s good about having pets at work and offer to help make rules.
For example, most pet-friendly businesses require pets to be healthy, fully vaccinated and potty-trained. They also ask employees to fill out an application before bringing their pets to work. Rules that workers must follow can be part of a policy. For example, pets might have to be on a leash, in a crate, or behind a pet gate when they are in the office, and workers might never be able to leave their pets alone.
Some pet-friendly rules might also say what to do if a pet causes trouble, like a three-strikes rule followed by a short or permanent ban. Most places of work that allow pets also have a strict “no biting” rule.
Think about the office space and talk to the boss about where pets are allowed and not allowed indoors. For example, the restaurant might be a place where only people are allowed.
Before putting in place any new rules, management might want to ask the staff if most of them want a pet-friendly workplace.
What pet owners should do?
If you work for a company that allows pets, it’s important to be responsible, kind, and considerate to your coworkers, especially those who might not like having pets around. If dogs become a problem for other people, the program could be ended.
Some of the best things pet owners can do when they bring their pets to the office are:
- Make sure your pet is well-trained and behaves well in the office. Not all pets can go to work with you.
- If your dog is a barker, be polite to your coworkers and do not bring them to the office.
- Don’t let your pet play with toys that make noise, like ones with bells or squeakers.
- You can keep your pet in your office with a pet gate.
- Don’t ever leave your pet alone at work.
- Unless your office allows pets to walk free, keep your pet on a leash or in a carrier when you move around the office.
- Take your dog out to the bathroom often enough to avoid problems.
- If your pet has a mistake, clean it up right away with a cleaner made for pets. If a mess is too big for you to clean up, let management know so it can be cleaned up properly.
- Lastly, you should think about your pet’s personality. Reactive pets don’t fit at work, which should go without saying. But some pets just don’t like being in a place like an office. If your pet is scared, nervous, or withdrawn at work, or if they are too happy, it might be best to leave them at home.
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