Employees are no longer satisfied with receiving only the traditional healthcare and retirement benefits. With the new generation of the workforce replacing conventional office-expectations with flexible hours, remote-working opportunities, and luxury benefits – companies need to step up their game to attract today’s talent. One of the top trending employee benefits of 2019 is allowing bring your dog to work day, to be every day. In fact, a study by Nestle Purina found that 63% of employees said they would be more interested in interviewing for a job with a pet-friendly policy.
The DogsAtWork program
So how can companies take advantage of this inexpensive benefit that could increase the interest of potential employees? PetPartners, Inc, a pet insurance company that has been providing pet health insurance since 2002, has come up with the solution. They’ve created a DogsAtWork guide that provides step-by-step instructions to establishing a dog-friendly policy in any office! From determining employee interest, straight through to the first office dog stepping a paw through the door, the DogsAtWork program makes implementing a dog-friendly policy simple.
An easy addition
Many employers balk at the idea of implementing a dog-friendly policy because they believe it will take too much time and energy to establish. In reality, a company can use the DogsAtWork guide to have their program running in a few days! The guide walks you through everything from landlord approval, liability insurance, and emergency protocols. According to studies, three in five employees who wish their workplace was pet-friendly would be willing to spearhead efforts to make it happen. Encourage interested employees to work with your human resources department to tailor the program to fit your company’s needs.
The benefits
PetPartners has been a dog-friendly workplace for the last five years, and managers have noticed the value of adding dogs to their team. Why is this employee benefit so valuable? Research has proven that dogs create healthier work environments and help to develop a unique company culture. Employee retention and acquisition rates are higher in companies with canine coworkers. A study done by Banfield Pet Hospital determined that 91% of employees said that implementing pet-friendly policies would increase company loyalty.
Employees report that having dogs in the office makes them more likely to collaborate with teammates and happier to come to work every day. Taking a break to pet the dog, head outside for a walk, or just watch several office pups snoozing, can be a stress reliever that many employees need. These breaks can actually increase productivity throughout the rest of the day! In addition, workers are more likely to stay late to complete projects when they don’t feel pressured to get home to let their pup outside.
Rules required!
The key to a successful dog-friendly office is the establishment of work rules. The DogsAtWork program offers a suggested pet policy to ensure your employees and dogs can safely, and happily, enjoy an office together. Taking a survey to ensure employees are on board is a great first step, but employers should also provide a list of expectations for dog owners who choose to bring their dogs into the office. The program suggests that all office dogs are Canine Good Citizen Certified before being approved to enter the office, to ensure dogs are well-behaved and can act like office pros.
Get started today!
According to Bob Vetere, President of the Pet Leadership Council (PLC), “Scientific research shows that pets in the workplace increase employee satisfaction and collaboration. Today, most pet owners consider their pets to be important members of the family, so companies that are pet-friendly are acknowledging the growing importance of the human-animal bond for their employees.” The work benefits of having dogs in the office are too many to count, and it’s not that difficult to set up a program. If you’re an employee, Human Resources decision maker, or owner of a company interested in adding dogs in the office to your list of employee benefits, get started with the DogsAtWork program today!
