Dive Brief:
- Having pets in the workplace seems a quaint idea today, but according to Fortune, a pet-friendly work environment could bring a pack of benefits (along with a potentially higher cleaning bill).
- Banfield Pet Hospital surveyed 1,006 employees and 200 HR decision makers from U.S. companies to measure their perception of pets in the office. While an unsurprisingly low number of employees (22%) and a quarter HRDMs (at or above the director/vice president level responsible for making HR policy and benefit decisions) work in pet-friendly environments, those same people believe it greatly improves the workplace, the survey found.
- For those who do have their pets nearby during the workday, the perceived upsides are pretty dramatic: 67% of employees and 81% of HRDMs agreed that it led to increased productivity; 82% and 91%, respectively, believe it makes people more loyal to the company; and 86% and 92% say it decreases employees’ stress levels.
Dive Insight:
Fortune reports that when employees can have their pets at the office, it reduces the mental burden of worrying about leaving pets at home alone. It also increases their ability to work longer hours. It also has an attractive recruitment bonus, especially among today's younger workers.
So which market sectors are big on allowing pets in the office? According to the Banfield survey, that would be IT services, with nearly 40% of survey participants who work in pet-friendly offices. Company size is critical, as 33% of respondents from pet-friendly offices are with employers who have less than 50 employees. But there are a few Fortune 500 companies with pet friendly policies, too.
