As a business owner, there are a lot of decisions you need to make about the best policies for your office. You may offer your employees unlimited vacation, the option to telecommute to work, or free lunch. Another benefit to consider offering your staff members is a pet-friendly office environment. Although this may seem counterproductive to running a successful operation, it’s becoming more common for business owners to allow staff members to bring their pets to work. Is a pet-friendly office right for your business? Consider the benefits that pets can offer to your team members, such as:
Lower Stress Levels
The workplace is a fast-paced, demanding environment, which creates stress for working professionals. Forty percent of workers stated that they were very or extremely stressed out on the job, and 25 percent said that their work was the number one cause of stress in their lives. The effects of stress on the body are well-known: high blood pressure, sleep problems, weight issues, diabetes and heart attacks.
One effective way to fight stress is to create a pet-friendly office where employees are allowed to bring in their cats and dogs. A 2012 study found that employees who brought their pets to work reported being less stressed out throughout the day.
Dogs have been proven to reduce levels of cortisol, which is a hormone that is responsible for stress, while raising the levels of oxytocin, the “love hormone,” which causes happiness. A 2001 study found that pets can lower blood pressure levels that are caused by mental stress.
Improved Communication
Employees must be able to effectively communicate with each other, ask each other for help, and create a support system in the office. However, most professionals are too busy with their responsibilities to get to know their colleagues.
Bringing pets to work has been shown to increase interaction between employees. “When I first took the job, I often learned the names of the pets before employees, and it helped me build a bond with everyone,” stated Lisa Conklin, public relations manager for Replacements, a dinnerware retailer.
When a team is able to communicate effectively, they are more efficient, productive and happier. This benefits business owners with a better corporate culture, higher employee retention rates and additional profits due to increase productivity.
Work/ Life Balance
Employees are increasingly demanding a better work/ life balance amidst the longer work hours common in the US. A pet-friendly office helps to improve that balance by allowing staff members to bring their beloved pets to work. A long day at the office does not seem so bad when your employee’s canine best friend is next to them. Additionally, it takes away the burden of hiring dog walkers or worrying about pets being alone for extended periods of time.
Set Policies When Allowing Pets at Work
If you believe that allowing pets at work could benefit your business, it is advantageous to create rules that all employees must abide by. First, the office should be pet-proofed, which means all loose wires must be hidden, small objects must be removed from lower surfaces and all doors must be closed at all times.
Second, a pet policy should be adopted that allows only well-behaved and friendly pets to be brought to work. For example, a dog that is prone to barking will only distract your workers instead of increasing productivity.
Third, find out if any of your staff members have allergies to pets. If this is the case, they may agree to take allergy medications; however, that must be discussed before pets are allowed on the premises.
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