Do you want to introduce pets in the office? Use this checklist to prepare

When the pandemic era began in 2020 it led to a drastic change in the way we worked. Suddenly, the vast majority of us were forced to work from home during some incredibly trying times. Yet among the negatives, there were positives, with most of us discovering just how good it was to work around families and pets.

But just as those comfort levels reached their peak, we had to return to the office. There would be no chance of quickly walking the dog at lunch or cuddling with a cat during meetings. Office life doesn’t mean we have to say goodbye to our pets, though. 

• Businesses big and small have embraced the ‘bring your pet to work mantra’ including the likes of Amazon Australia and Canva
• A whopping 85% of pet owners say their pet has a positive impact on their physical and mental well-being
• Research consistently shows that employees are more engaged and motivated when dogs are in the office, while it also promotes staff interaction

So if you’re looking for ways to promote staff well-being with a lively work environment, or attract committed work-from-home candidates, a pet-friendly environment is a great way to make a pawsitive impact. With so much to consider, though, our checklist will help you plan and prepare for anything.

Set some ground rules

Although some of us would absolutely love the idea of a puppy free-for-all in the office with small bundles of joy running amok, ground rules are essential. Humans and pets alike need to have guidelines to ensure work is still being done and boundaries are respected.

A pet-friendly work policy doesn’t have to be incredibly detailed but it should address the following points in some way:

• Whether pets are allowed in the office every day of the week, or only on select days
• Is every kind of animal allowed, or are there reasonable limitations (e.g. dogs only)
• What sections of the office are accessible or inaccessible to pets
• Where will they go to the toilet
• Can pets be off-leash, allowed out of small cages/carry bags or allowed to roam freely
• What types of toys are acceptable for entertainment purposes
• Whether strangers/colleagues can provide treats
• What interactions are allowed between employees, pets and customers/visitors
• Rules and regulations for bad behaviour, such as a warning system if a dog barks too much
• What would happen if there was an emergency, including a personal health emergency or building evacuation
• Have they been recently vaccinated

Make sure your staff are on board

Employee interest will make or break the whole experience. There’s no point in introducing pets to the office when the majority of employees are against the idea. With that in mind, there are a few critical questions to ask to find out just how practical the idea is.

You can source these answers through a staff survey, but be sure to outline the ground rules and expectations right away as your employees should have all the information at hand.

• Ask about allergies, asthma or phobias; while these concerns may not stop other staff from bringing pets to work, you should notify staff who could be negatively impacted.
• Find out if interested staff have pets that are actually well suited to the office; only pets that are well-behaved, sociable and trained should be allowed into the workplace.
• Enquire about potential socialisation issues; pets that are anxious may be a poor fit if several dogs are in the office at the same time, but they may be fine if only one pet is allowed per day.

Finally, make sure management is on board. There will be some disruptions to the work day when pets are involved: owners will have to duck out for a few extra toilet breaks, while cute animals are always going to result in staff distraction. 

But until the novelty does wear off, managers will have to accept there will be teething issues as everyone settles into a different routine. So it’s important to remember that if you do introduce pets to the office, it will take some time to perfect the routine.