If your job requires you to work from an office, you know that leaving your dog in the morning can be one of the hardest parts of the day. This doesn’t have to be the case! One of the top trending employee benefits of 2019 is the ability to make every day, bring your dog to work day! Imagine commuting with your canine and taking lunch break walks with all your favorite coworkers – two-legged and four! According to studies, three in five employees who wish their workplace was pet-friendly would be willing to spearhead efforts to make it happen. If you’re one of those employees, read on!
Express interest
The first step to working alongside your pup is to make your employer aware that you’re interested in this benefit. Gather together any coworkers attracted to the idea of a dog-friendly office and set a time to discuss your proposal with the decision makers in your company.
List the benefits
Odds are good that your employer will have a few questions about the advantages of implementing a dog-friendly policy. By garnering the support of your coworkers, and heading into your proposal meeting prepared, you can show your employer that having dogs in the office will benefit the entire company!
Benefits for employers
According to a study put on by Nestle Purina, 63% of employees said they would be more interested in interviewing for a job with a pet-friendly policy. Companies who allow employees to bring their dogs to work note a growth in employee retention, more collaboration between team members, and a significant increase in employee morale. Employees who aren’t worried about running home at lunch or after work to let their dogs out are able to stay later to complete projects. About 81% of HR decision makers agree that having pets at work increased productivity within their company.
Benefits for employees
Employees with canine coworkers take breaks to interact with the office dogs, which can create a unique community within the company. Taking short breaks that include physical activity - such as walking a dog outside – will promote the blood flow required for the brain to maintain attention and focus. These short breaks have also been proven to increase creativity and an employee’s ability to recharge throughout the day. Approximately, 88% of employees believe pets improve moral – after a rough meeting it’s helpful to spend a few moments calming down with a puppy snuggle!
Benefits for dogs
Employees who work alongside dogs in their office are more likely to give a new dog a home. Dogs who can come to the office with their owners receive more mental stimulation during the day and are able to meet many new friends!
Provide the DogsAtWork Guide
While your employer may recognize the advantages of creating a pet-friendly policy, they could worry that it will take too much effort to establish a program that focuses on dog and employee safety. However, PetPartners, Inc – a pet insurance company who has had dogs in their office for the last five years – has created a free DogsAtWork Guide to help companies develop their own dog-friendly policies. The guide offers suggestions for office rules, ways to ensure all employees are on board with the new benefit, and checklists for implementing a program. When requesting that your company create a policy to allow employee dogs at work, you can send the DogsAtWork Guide to your Human Resources Department to get the ball rolling.
Put an emphasis on safety
One of the biggest worries about becoming a dog-friendly office is the matter of keeping employees and office dogs safe. The DogsAtWork Guide places safety as the priority by encouraging companies to set strict rules on dog health, only allowing dogs who can pass specific obedience training and providing guidelines of office rules.
Be persistent & helpful
Reminding your employer that this benefit will help them attract top talent, increase employee loyalty, and create an exceptional company culture, should have them jumping at the idea of allowing dogs. Express your willingness to assist with establishing and monitoring the program and suggest implementing a trial run for several months to allow your employer to see how easy creating a dog-friendly office can be!
