Steps employers can take to create a pet-friendly workplace

4 steps employers can take to create a pet-friendly workplace

February 15, 2022 5:30 AM

Just like their human companions, pets have had to put up with a lot over the course of the pandemic — but the silver lining for our furry friends was having more time with the people they love as work moved from the office to the home.

Now, as the reopening of offices looms, pet parents are wondering how to handle an impending separation — but they may not have to. In a post-pandemic world, pet-friendly offices may become a vital tool to attract and retain the best talent, while also boosting employee mental health, productivity, and lowering their stress levels.

“What's important today looks a lot different than what might have been important to a workforce two or even five years ago,” says Katie Blakeley, vice president of pet insurance at MetLife. “There's a lot of positive reception from working pet-parents when their employer offers [pet-focused solutions]. It just helps demonstrate that employers care about the things that are important to employees, including their pets.”

But with pets at work come plenty of questions. (What about allergies? What about cleanliness? What about poop?) We chatted with the experts to outline four vital steps to make a pro-pet office a success, not a distraction.

Establish clear expectations

Set hard and fast rules: pets must stay with their owners, not wander freely about the office; owners must provide all food, supplies, and toys to keep their pet happy; don’t even think about asking colleagues to help with care or cleanup; and all vaccinations must be up-to-date. If other employees feel uneasy around a particular pet, privileges are revoked.

“We published a policy that every associate who wanted to bring a pet into the workplace had to review and sign,” Blakely says. “We have a three strikes and you’re out policy for indoor accidents, and it’s one strike and you're out for any aggressive behavior.”

Decide what kind of pets will be allowed

Picking and choosing what pets are welcome at work is an unpleasant task, but it’s a necessary one, says Jovana Teodorovic, head of people and culture at pet care company Rover.

Employees’ allergies, comfort levels with various animals, and even the age of pets should be considered before they’re invited to the office. This, Teodorovic explains, has helped Rover’s own office keep potential chaos to a minimum.

“We only have dogs in our office, and our office dogs must be highly trained, which helps create a structure to make sure everybody is set up for success,” she says. “I can’t imagine adding cats and birds.”

Establish a trial period

If a new (or existing) employee wants to start bringing their pet in, be clear that there are no guarantees — it all starts with a trial period.

Start each new office pet out with just a few hours on a given day, and gauge how they (and their owner) respond to this unfamiliar environment. If it’s working, slowly increase the amount of time the animal spends in the office.

“As with anything with humans, expectation setting is really key,” Teodorovic says. “Having this type of training established ahead of time — instead of reactively when something unexpected happens — has been really, really successful.”

Designate pet-free zones

It’s true: some people just don’t like animals. But they still deserve to feel comfortable in their workspace, Blakely says. Establishing “pet free zones” can ensure that all employees have spaces to take breaks or socialize when they’re away from their desks. (And no animals in the cafeteria, period.)

“As much as we'd love to believe that all people are pet people, we know that that is not the case,” Blakely says. “Make sure that nobody feels uncomfortable. And even if everybody seems gung-ho, you still want to make sure that you have those areas that are pet-free because your workplace will evolve over time. You need to make sure that you've got a safe and healthy environment, physically of course, but also mentally, for everybody.”