Why do some employees want dogs at work?

There are several potential driving factors behind the increase in employees seeking to bring their dogs to work. Firstly, pet ownership grew during the pandemic, since many employees had more time and availability to care for a pet while working from home. This means that many of your employees have a pet that still needs to be taken care of, even if they have returned to the office. 

However, you may be considering the pros and cons of allowing dogs at work and looking into what is required to ensure that your office is pet-friendly. You may also be taking into account the occupational health and safety needs of your entire team, and so are considering factors such as allergies and whether an employee’s dog is sufficiently trained. Therefore, this next section examines the pros and cons of allowing employees to have a dog at work, including tips for each. 

Pros of having dogs at work

Beginning with the pros of having dogs at work, let’s consider how they can be a positive influence on the office environment. While traditionally dogs have not been encouraged in the workplace, many businesses are now finding that they can be of great benefit to employees.

Can improve emotional wellbeing

Dogs can make excellent emotional support or therapy animals, and you may already have a day when employees can de-stress by interacting with therapy animals such as dogs. Dogs can respond well to how people are feeling, and can therefore provide comfort to employees who are feeling stressed. What’s more, dogs encourage play and exercise, which means that employees might choose the healthy option of taking a walk with their dog during their lunch break instead of sitting through it. 

Can improve cooperation between employees

Having a dog in the office can be a great icebreaker for employees in the office, including defusing tension between your staff. Also, allowing dogs in the office may bring employees closer together, and they may help newer employees to feel more confident as it gives them something to bond with their colleagues over.

If several of your employees have dogs that they bring into work, then they can learn more about how to care for their dogs via friendly conversation. There is also the chance that having dogs in the workplace could reduce absenteeism since working with a dog in the office might be a huge draw to employees who love being around dogs.

Having a pet-friendly policy can draw new talent

If you advertise a pet-friendly policy to potential new recruits, this may help your business to look like a positive, relaxed and friendly place to work – and therefore stand out from similar competition. Additionally, if an employee can bring their dog to work, it can help them cut down on dog-sitting costs such as when they are working overtime.

While some dogs can be left during the day, some owners might prefer to take their dogs for a walk during their afternoon lunch breaks. If you are encouraging workers to return to the office, then allowing dogs in the workplace may encourage your employees to sacrifice some of their flexible working days. This is because they will be able to look after their pet, wherever they are.

Cons of having dogs at work

While there are many possible benefits to allowing dogs at work, it is important to look at these alongside the cons to make a balanced decision. Weighing up the pros and cons can also help you decide what to include and exclude in a dog-at-work policy. Let’s now have a look at the cons of having dogs at work. 

Employee allergies

Some of your employees might be allergic to pets such as dogs. They might be allergic to them to varying degrees, with some being slightly allergic where the presence of dogs can be considered a nuisance, while others might be severely allergic and the presence of dogs can be considered dangerous. Therefore, it would appear important to ask your employees whether they would be comfortable being around dogs (or any other pets) in the workplace first to ascertain whether they have a dog allergy. Other options available may be to install an air purifier so that any allergens in the office environment are removed. Another possible solution could be to move the employee away from any dogs in the office. However, this may be too disruptive depending on the office space available. 

They can be distracting

Dogs at work can be distracting for numerous reasons. Firstly, if employees do have a dog allergy, they might become less productive as they become distracted by their allergy symptoms. Dogs may also simply be distracting because of their sometimes unpredictable behaviour in the office.

Some dogs may be well-trained and/or suited to an office environment, while other dogs may not be well-suited. It is therefore useful to discuss this with an employee before they bring their dog to work. Finding out how much they bark and whine if they aren’t being provided with attention can be helpful. Quieter dogs that need less attention from their owners may be more suited to an office environment overall. 

Environmental hazards

If an owner brings dog toys and leads into the office, this might become an environmental hazard, particularly if some of your employees are disabled or elderly. Conducting a risk assessment, therefore, when considering introducing dogs to the office environment might be useful. It may also be helpful to discuss environmental hazards with employees at work before this, so that they understand the importance of keeping a clear office space, encouraging their pets to be quiet, and ensuring that they walk their dog before work or during their lunch break to help them burn off excess energy. 

Creating a dogs-at-work policy

Allowing employees to have their dogs at work is very much dependent on both the combination of your office environment and your employees’ specific needs. However, even if you are planning on allowing dogs in the office, creating a dogs-at-work policy can help ensure that your employees know what’s allowed and what isn’t. Below is a list of possible points to make when drawing up a dogs-at-work policy:

• do pets require a certain amount of training
• what are an owner’s responsibilities are (regarding cleaning and supervision for example)
• areas where pets are allowed and where they are not allowed to go
• how much space dogs will need
• whether the pet has any insurance
• rules and regulations surrounding the prevention of allergic reactions
• any other health and safety requirements for employees

Allowing dogs at work can be a big boost to the morale of your employees – with a few caveats. Some employees might resist the idea because of their personal needs or allergy-related conditions. One solution is to create an effective dogs-at-work policy that considers everyone’s needs, while also consulting your employees on the subject. At the end of the day, whether you choose to allow dogs in your workplace will depend very much on your business’s specific needs, as well as those of your employees.