Do you want your employees to come to the office?
Allow them to bring their pets along!
America is amid a severe labor shortage. Many people have been reluctant to return to the office after the Covid pandemic restrictions. Many small businesses are searching for various ways of attracting new workers. It is time for employers to allow workers to bring their pets into the workplace.
During the global pandemic, pet ownership increased worldwide. The American Pet Product Association discovered that over three million households decided to take in a new pet during the pandemic. 75% of American pet owners said that being around a pet helped reduce stress. Most people said that being around a cat or a dog helped bring a sense of well-being.
The recent statistics prove that more people have become pet owners. All of these people love their pets. Having a pet is not cheap. Keeping one dog means that the pet owner has to spend over $1500 annually. Asking people to leave their favorite pet at home for many hours will be extremely difficult for many people. These pet owners are used to being close to their dogs and cats for many months.
Research by Bark, one of the respected pet product companies, shows that 70% of pet owners are still working from home because they do not want to leave their pets at home during the day to go to work. 42% of the population says they will miss being close to their spouses, while 39% will miss their minor children.
Pet insurance companies have started treatment and behavioral therapy claims for cats and dogs. The pets started becoming distressed when seeing their owners leave every day for work.
Shockingly, pet owners miss their pets more than their children. The behavior therapy offered to dogs should be a wake-up call to employers. American employers should not judge this delicate situation. The best thing to do is provide a long-lasting solution to the employees.
Pet Insurance
Small and big companies have realized the benefits of providing pet insurance. Research from Nationwide Insurance in 2018 shows that pet health insurance has become one of the highly requested voluntary benefits.
Nationwide Insurance currently insures more than 700,000 from different parts of the country. The facility has witnessed an increase in the popularity of pet insurance. Many employers in the US are using this trick to engage, attract and retain their pet-owning employees.
They are offering ordinary pet policies where the employer pays fully or partially can make all the difference in the lives of pet owners. Employers need to negotiate great deals for the sake of their workers. According to pet owners, the best pet insurance should cover chronic conditions, wellness examinations, acute diseases, shots, and injuries. When an employer offers their employees this kind of insurance, it means that they care.
Allow The Employees To Bring Their Pets To Work
Apart from having pet insurance, companies can attract and retain their employees by allowing them to bring their beloved pets to work. Amazon, for instance, has always allowed its employees to bring pets to the working stations. The company was recently ranked number 1 for being pet-friendly last year.
Amazon management encourages its workers to bring dogs to the office because pets play an essential role in the employees’ productivity. The employees connect well in the presence of the dogs and other pets. Allowing workers to bring pets into the office might seem too complicated for small companies. If you have the right policies in place, this idea will work perfectly for everyone. Your workers will be happy, and they will not be in a hurry to leave your organization so that they can take care of their pets at home.
Given all the above benefits of bringing a pet to the office, it would be best if employers considered giving their employees a National Pet Day Off on 11 April to spend time with their furry friends. Doing this will prove to the employees that their bosses care. What better way to motivate your employees and boost their morale and productivity?
