The Coach Space
Not too long ago, there was a general sentiment that pets were a distraction in workplaces. Exceptions would, of course, be made for working animals, but there would still be a feeling of novelty or even distaste around it. Fortunately, broader societal changes in attitudes toward animals have meant that pets, not just working animals, are welcomed in a growing number of workplaces.
This change probably stems in part from the growing recognition of the positive impact animals can have on human well-being and, by extension, workplace cohesion and productivity. More specifically, today’s current emphasis on mental health and work-life balance is causing workplaces to consider more ways to improve employees’ well-being, including once-unthinkable perks like allowing employees to bring their pets. Some businesses even offer branded pet merchandise like dog collars for pets to put on to make them part of the team.
To be clear, not all workplaces can easily accommodate pets. Letting them into a busy industrial facility or a hospital, for instance, might be out of the question, especially where safety is concerned. However, typical office settings do offer a fairly safe and controlled environment that is suited for properly socialized cats and dogs. What’s more, contemporary research indicates that workplaces with pet policies experience reduced stress and better social interaction—benefits that help to reduce employee turnover and increase employee satisfaction.
However, to make a shift to a pet-friendly workplace successful, a thoughtfully-written pet policy is going to be important for all of the business’s stakeholders. If you’re a decision-maker in your company and are thinking of crafting a workplace pet policy, here are some tips for creating guidelines that will sufficiently accommodate both pet owners and those who may not always feel comfortable around animals:
1) Establish Unambiguous Guidelines for Pet Behavior
A verbal memo is not nearly enough for something that needs to be as detailed and exhaustive as a pet-friendly workplace policy. Yours should be clearly written and outline expected pet behavior in the office. At the minimum, these guidelines should include requirements for pets to be socialized, house-trained, and not prone to excessive barking or aggression. Setting these standards from the start should help keep the peace and mitigate any risks within the office environment.
2) Respect Non-Pet Owners’ Concerns
The policy also has to accommodate both current and future employees who don’t like pets or have allergies to pet dander. These accommodations can include scheduling pet-free days or assigning desks farther away from designated pet areas.
Even if all employees are enthusiastic about pets at work, the policy has to be reasonably future-proofed since there may be a future need to hire someone who has allergies or is uncomfortable with animals being so close by.
3) Obtain Expressed Written Consent
Regardless of whether someone likes, tolerates, or dislikes animals at work, it’s important to get written consent from the employees who will be directly affected by the policy. This allows people who can’t be around pets to work with HR for alternative arrangements, like a different workstation or, perhaps, a temporary work-from-home arrangement. It will also help mitigate (though not eliminate) potential issues if a person who is allergic to pets is in favor of them at work.
4) Designate Pet-Friendly and Pet-Free Areas
Even if everyone agrees to let pets in, you still must create specific areas within the workplace where pets are allowed, such as a break room or an outdoor space. This will manage pet movement and limit potential “accidents” to specific areas. If there are employees who are allergic to or uncomfortable around animals, explicitly designated pet-free workspaces will also be necessary to avoid any ambiguity about where pets can be.
5) Require Proof of Vaccinations and Health Checks
To protect both humans and other animals, your policy must require employees to provide proof of their pets’ vaccinations and health records. This will reduce the risk of spreading diseases or fleas throughout business HQ.
6) Create a Trial Period for Pets
If it’s your first time to allow pets on the premises, a trial period will be necessary. There will always be some things that come up that you didn’t consider in your initial draft of the policy, and having a reasonably long test run will help you formulate long-term guidelines that are functional and that work well for your employees.
7) Outline Pet Etiquette and Responsibilities
Employees may have different ideas of what responsible pet ownership entails, which can lead to conflicts in the absence of a clear standard. For that reason, there has to be a clearly written section on the specific responsibilities of pet owners at work. Be as specific as you can possibly be in outlining responsibilities related to feeding, providing water, cleaning up, and managing behavior around humans and other pets.
8) Limit the Number of Pets That Can Be on Premises
To prevent overcrowding and avoid stress, cap the number of pets allowed in the office at any given time. A straightforward way to do this would be to implement a rotation system where employees sign up to bring their pets on certain days, ensuring the space remains manageable.
9) Set Pet-Friendly Days
Lastly, instead of allowing pets in the office whenever, it may be a good idea to restrict your pet-friendly policy to certain days, such as when employees with allergies have a scheduled work-from-home arrangement or just before office deep cleanings. This will minimize the potential downsides of letting pets in if there are employees who can’t be near them.
Making Pets Part of the Team – Safely and Thoughtfully
There are risks associated with having even the most well-behaved pets in the workplace, so it makes sense to spend as much time as you need deliberating your pet-friendly policy. Indeed, if the safety risks are too great, you may opt to get a communal aquarium or limit pet-friendly days to office get-togethers in outside venues.
The goal should be to maintain a thoughtful balance among employees, whether or not they’re pet parents. Leverage your position as a decision-maker in your business to create a policy that works for everyone who’ll clock in, bipeds and quadrupeds alike.
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