Should You Make Your Office Pet Friendly

NOTE: The actual contents and opinions are the sole views of the author who maintains editorial independence.
Is your office pet-friendly? There’s a growing trend among brands in the United States to welcome pets to work, whether it means getting an office dog or letting employees bring their furry animals to the workplace. Notable companies like Amazon, Google, and Glassdoor have adopted pet-friendly policies, keen to take advantage of benefits like promoting a healthy work-life balance and improving morale.

Around 60% of executives are considering a pet-friendly office policy. As a result, more workers are being drawn to pet-friendly jobs. If you want to introduce animals to your workplace, start by getting feedback from your employees. Additionally, you should check if you require your landlord’s permission to keep pets in the office.

Suitable Pets for the Office

Dogs and cats are pretty popular in Americans’ offices, but you can keep fish, geckos, snakes and guinea pigs. Suitable pets for the office include:

1. Guinea Pigs

A guinea pig makes for an easy-to-care-for and cute office pet. Your office can adopt guinea pigs from the local animal shelter, and you can challenge your employees to a cage building contest. Guinea pigs thrive in communities, and they need social interaction to stay healthy. You can take turns to groom, feed, and play with the animal.

2. Tarantulas

Tarantulas are clean animals that make excellent office pets. These spiders are quiet and calm, and they aren’t dangerous to handle. However, you’ll need to supply a diet of insects, including crickets, cockroaches, and worms. If you want a tarantula with a long-life span, get females because they live for up to 43 years while males only live for a few years.

3. Fish

A fish tank with colorful fish will enhance the office décor and bring your workplace to life. There are thousands of fish species to keep, from low-maintenance varieties like Goldfish to exotic species such as arowanas and cichlids.

You can survey the local pet store for some species to get started. Keep in mind that fish need a well-maintained habitat to thrive. Therefore, you should invest in a filter, water test kit, heater, and appropriately-sized fish tanks for the species you have.

4. Turtles and Tortoises

Turtles and tortoises love a relaxed lifestyle, and you can keep them in large cages in your office. Pet owners with turtles and tortoises give them a lot of leafy greens because they’re herbivores. Additionally, you can provide fruity treats once in a while.

5. Rabbits

The incredible personalities of rabbits will endear them to everybody in the office. Most bunnies are friendly and active, and they’ll spend most of their time exploring their environment. Keep in mind that these creatures need a constant supply of hay and fresh water.

6. Dogs

Office dogs can reduce workplace stress and improve employee retention in your office. What’s more, your colleagues can take daily short breaks to take the dog out for play sessions with their favorite toys. Dogs will get your employees moving and keep them active and energized.

You can let your employees take turns bringing dog food. However, you should check if any employee has allergies or if there’s any clause in your lease that restricts dogs in your building. Aside from offices being a dog-friendly places,  many stores have also opened their shops to dogs. You can visit Petdt.com for more information.

Advantages of Office Pets

There are numerous benefits to keeping pets in the workplace, including:

1. Improve Productivity

Pets in the workplace will create a comfortable and relaxed work environment and make your employees happier and less stressed. Your staff will enjoy their job more, and there will be fewer cases of absenteeism. Moreover, happy employees will put more effort into their tasks, which will boost your company’s overall productivity.

Read: Top Chrome extensions to improve productivity

Taking short breaks to walk the office dog or bond with the office leopard gecko will help you to recharge. As a result, you’ll resume work with fresh energy. Employees who bring their pets to work will also work longer because they don’t have to rush home to let their animals out of their cages.

2. Promote Social Interaction

A friendly pet can encourage people who wouldn’t have otherwise engaged in communicating. If people tend to keep to themselves in your office, you can introduce a dog, cat, or other social pets. Additionally, an office pet will enhance collaboration and team spirit as all your staff will be responsible for the animal’s wellbeing.

Read: How To Stay Fit And Healthy At The Office

3. Promote Healthy Living

Pets that need daily activity like dogs will encourage your staff to be active. People with active pets are more likely to meet their daily requirements for exercise, which will result in healthy employees. Having pets has also been shown to reduce stress, anxiety, blood pressure, and cholesterol. Also, your employees will report decreased depression and increased happiness, which will only enhance your office’s comfort.

4. Attract and Retain Talent

Millennials make up most of today’s workforce, and they’re more likely to own a pet. If you want to attract talent in the modern era, it will help to have pet-friendly policies. In fact, to most people, pets have become part of their families. Therefore, your employees will be more likely to support your mission if it includes a commitment to welcome pets in the workplace.

Pet-friendly practices will also help you retain staff. People who take their animals to work will be more engaged in their work activities, and they’ll have less incentive to leave. In addition, you can offer pet healthcare to attract the best talent.

5. Boost Customer Perception

A friendly office pet can appeal to customers and vendors. You’ll find that most customers will remember the dog’s or cat’s name, and they’ll look forward to visiting your premises. What’s more, talking about your company pet is a great conversation starter.

Pets can also make your establishment look approachable, progressive, and human. You can even make your office pet the unofficial mascot for your brand and display them proudly on social media. Above all, your public relations will improve significantly if you show that you care about animals.

In Conclusion

A pet-friendly workplace can improve collaboration, productivity, and office communication. Friendly pets like dogs, rabbits, cats, and guinea pigs will attract new talent, customers, and vendors and keep employees active and healthy. What’s more, workplace animals reduce stress and anxiety among staff, resulting in better job engagement and satisfaction.

 


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