Article featuring Preneurgrowth, Inc 2022
How Pet-Friendly Workplaces Benefit Everyone
It's difficult to dispute the connection between people and their pets, and there's little reason for that love to be kept out of the professional world. Numerous studies have revealed that pet-friendly workplaces improve the overall morale of your workforce, and your customers will like it too.
They Improve Employee Morale and RetentionIt's no secret that animal lovers can find the presence of a pet alone to be calming and comforting. Having the company of a pet while working keeps morale up and reduces stress while adding a welcoming culture to your business. As morale increases, so does productivity
Having animals in the workplace is also great for attendance and retention. Not only will the fun and casual environment attract new talent, but it will be a great reason to stay with your company as well. Your employees will be much happier to come into their shift knowing their animal friend will be right by their side.
They Make Your Customers Feel Welcome and Trusted If your business is customer-facing, letting patrons bring their pets in with them will have several benefits.
Your customers will of course feel more welcome, but it's also more convenient; if a customer is already out with their dog, they're more likely to pop in and see what you have to offer knowing they won't need to return without their pet later. They may even add visiting your shop to their daily routine.
Welcoming critters into your store or office is also great for advertising. A well-crafted flyer or commercial featuring the animal friends on-site will demonstrate to your target demographic what a fun place it is to work and shop. Better yet, use social media like TikTok to widen your target audience. To ensure you're creating the most effective advertising, find a TikTok agency or shop around online for a marketing expert to guide you.
They’re Best When Done Safely and Legally Before making your workplace pet friendly, there are some preparations and precautions to manage. Perhaps the most obvious is that not every industry can support animals on-site. Factories, restaurants, medical facilities, and many others often have restrictions or outright bans regarding pets. These are for legal reasons as well as to protect health and safety, so review local regulations and seek advice where needed.
Your workforce will need to get on the same page regarding hygiene. Whether you're allowing employees to bring their own pets in with them or adopting pets specifically for the workplace, everyone needs to be in agreement that animals will be kept clean and picked up after so the workplace can remain a safe and pleasant place to be.
This can mean assigning people to certain pet care tasks for an office pet, or commitment to personal responsibility for their own.
With all other arrangements and specifics taken care of, the final step is to make sure your business is safe from and for the pets.
Pet proofing items such as cord covers, outlet plugs and sprays to prevent bathroom accidents are a must. Be sure to take every precaution to avoid the pets hindering the work and the work environment hurting the pets.
When feasible, welcoming pets into your workplace lifts the overall spirits of practically everyone involved in your business. Customers will love seeing such a peculiar and welcoming practice, while your employees will be much more excited to get to work knowing their animal friends will be there too
By Susan Peterson.
