Our pets are important to us. They’re a part of our family, and it’s hard leaving them for 8 hours plus commute time on a daily basis. Perhaps that’s why many employers are starting to look at integrating pets into work life.
The “bring your pet to work” concept has become much more of a trend around the country in recent years – especially following the pandemic, when many people adopted pets for the first time and feared leaving them home alone when they finally returned to the office.
A survey last year of 500 C-suite executives found that about 60% had plans to give employees more flexibility when it comes to their pets once they returned to the office. And of 1,500 employees with pets surveyed, 57% said they’d be happiest returning to work if they could take their furry companion with them.
This is something that affects many Americans. Nearly 70% of U.S. households (85 million families) own a pet. At least 37 million millennials fall into this category.
Company leaders say the trend is not just good for workers, but helps business by creating a better work environment and attracting talent. “The business case is simply, by and large, people love having animals around,” Paul Huxley, chairman of Strategic Staffing Solutions, told USA Today. “It creates a happier work environment.”
Pets at work. It’s simply good for business.
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