Pets in Business
Now, more than ever, pets are an
integral part of our lives
Research shows that having pets in the workplace improves productivity and collaboration, and alleviates stress. Employee satisfaction and morale are top-of-mind for most HR leaders, and pet-inclusive policies can help.
Australia CAN works directly with companies and employees to develop policies for an integrated workplace that meets the needs of the company, non-pet owners and pet-owning staff.
Pets in the workplace reduce stress, promote happiness & increase collaboration.
What are the benefits of a pet-friendly workplace?
Work is a leading source of stress worldwide, with notifications and bad habits preventing us from leaving work at work. In fact, one-in-five Australians take time off the job due to work-related stress and anxiety. That’s why we reckon our workforce could benefit from some creature comforts.
Companion animals are essential for
wellbeing-psychological, spiritual and physical.
For those of us who have shared a workspace with pets since COVID, returning to the office and leaving our pets behind feels unjust and insensitive
What people think about pet-friendly workplaces
How to make your workplace pet-friendly
Education, clear guidelines and fair ground rules will be your best friend here. Making pets a valued and beneficial part of your workplace centres around 3 key themes:
- Everyone feeling safe (pets included)
- Avoiding chaos (smart rules are a must)
- A little supervision
To make pets in the workplace a success, understand that each is magically individual, with their breed, preferences and moods contributing to their personality. For example, some pets love pats, while others will be wary of strangers.
Making your workplace pet friendly has been proven to:
- Reduce stress levels, enhance coping skills and lower blood pressure.
- Squash pet-owner guilt about leaving a pet to their lonesome for the day.
- Wipe-out brain fog with lunchtime walks, toilet breaks and forced time in the sun.
- Jack up office morale and communication…“Have you seen Teddy’s bandana today?”
- Spread the benefits of chilling with a pet to the less fortunate (i.e. non-pet owners).
- Build an environment of camaraderie between the manager and their employees.
Preparing your office for furry friends
- Provide some gated or inaccessible areas to control movement and give pets a safe and secure place to roam. Focus your pet-friendly zones on places with easy-to-clean floors, or nearby cleaning products. Hopefully it’s only fur that you have to worry about, but accidents do happen.
- Provide a grassy patch outside for toilet breaks. Providing eco-friendly poo bags here would be a big bonus, for your employees and the environment. In the early days, employees could consider buddying up: watching each other’s dog when somebody needs to use the bathroom, attend a meeting, and so on.
Pets in Business Resources
Contact us for your personalised workplace kit.