As the pandemic has worn on, people have gotten more and more used to working from home. There are plenty of challenges associated with working from home, of course, but workers have tried to see the positives in what this difficult situation has presented all of us.
With eyes toward a brighter future, it’s likely that many people will be returning to their offices shortly. That return will be welcomed by many, but some things that are left behind at home may be missed. Specifically, spending time with pets during the workday is a nice little bonus that could be lost once traditional office life is possible again.
On this front, there is good news – pets don’t necessarily have to be left behind. By choosing to implement a pet policy in your office, you can boost satisfaction by allowing your employees to bring their pets to work, as long as certain conditions are met. Let’s take a moment to discuss what a good pet policy looks like and how it can help your office be a more enjoyable, productive place.
Why Have a Pet Policy?
Full-time employees spend a lot of their waking hours in the office (under non-pandemic conditions). It’s easy to get bogged down in the routine of day-to-day office life, so bringing a loyal friend along from time to time is a great way to give everyone a boost. Not only will the pet’s presence be a welcome bonus for the owner, but others in the office will likely enjoy the change of pace, as well.
Looking at the bigger picture, allowing pets in the office is a great way to treat your employees more as humans and less as robots. These are people with real feelings and emotions and providing the opportunity to bring pets to work on occasion is a clear sign that you respect your employees as people and want to help them enjoy their work lives.
How to Design a Pet Policy
There is plenty to like about allowing pets in the office, but only if it is done in a strategic manner. After all, an office full of barking dogs that are chasing each other around chairs and under desks probably isn’t going to be productive.
The pet policy you implement in your office will need to be customized to match your needs, but the points below are a good starting point.
- Only house-trained pets. This is an obvious place to start. You don’t want to be dealing with messes around the office during a workday, so any pet that comes with its owner needs to be house trained and able to handle spending extended time inside.
- Owners need to bring supplies. Make sure it is clear that pet owners will be responsible for bringing everything that their pets need for the day, such as food, water, treats, and more.
- Set an age limit. Pets that have only recently been born are not going to be a good fit for the office environment. Set an age limit like 3 months or 6 months to avoid the problems that come with new pets.
- Microchipped. You may want to limit office visits to pets that are microchipped, as these pets are easier to return to their owners if they happen to slip out of the office.
- Covered by insurance. There is a liability issue to be considered here as well, so all pets that visit the office should be covered by insurance. Typically, this insurance will be the pet owner’s homeowners or renters insurance policy, but those details should be checked out in advance.
Not all of the benefits or incentives you offer to employees need to be financial in nature. Sometimes, it’s lifestyle improvements like bringing pets to the office that go a long way toward improving satisfaction and building loyalty. Spend some time putting together a logical pet policy for your office and get feedback from your team before it goes into effect.
