Photo by Pavel Herceg on Unsplash
A study undertaken by LiveCareer discovered that 94% of employees supported having pets in the workplace. Of course, most people’s experience centered on dogs and cats, but surprisingly, quite a few were in favor of having other animals, including fish, reptiles, and even rodents.
Our approaches to what makes a workplace a great space have altered over the years. Gen Z’s attitudes and perceptions have played an enormous part in this, so if you’re thinking of introducing a furry friend or two to the office - what are the practical and legal considerations that need to be thought through?
The research is clear - pets in the workplace bring benefits
There is ample research to suggest that bringing pets into the workplace benefits employees.
Why? Well, firstly, they help increase team commitment. They show that, as an employer, you’re committed to the well-being of your team. They also help employees feel less isolated, too.
That aside, there are obvious health and safety issues that need to be addressed if you’re thinking about bringing pets into a place in which people come together every day, permanently.
Making a pet-friendly office space
First, confirm with your HR department and Health and Safety team that your working environment is pet-friendly?
There are some simple checks you can undertake yourself. Think about the following pointers to start.
Are there hazards like cables or toxic plants?
Does the environment need to be kept sterile - i.e., a healthcare setting?
Are any employees allergic to animals?
Also, for every dog and cat lover, there will be people who don’t like them or are afraid of animals. It’s important to consider their feelings, too. If, after those checks and speaking to HR and Health and Safety, no problems are foreseen, then it’s time to put a plan of action in place.
Plan of action for introducing pets to the office
It’s essential to have a thorough risk assessment beforehand and then put a solid code of practice in place. Here are some pointers:
The pet owner is ultimately responsible: It must be made clear that the ultimate responsibility for the pet is the owner—from a legal and financial perspective. If the animal damages any property or harms an employee, the owner must have appropriate insurance to cover themselves and you.
There must be a period of probation: To ensure everyone is happy with the situation and that the pet is, too, there’s got to be a trial period to see how everything runs. If people find their work is being interrupted too much or that the animal is causing problems, the situation can return to how it was before. This probation period should come with ground rules that continue throughout the pet's time in the office.
Make sure the pet is fully vaccinated: All animals must have up-to-date vaccinations and all their medications - such as treatments for fleas and mites, on hand and kept safe on the premises. If an animal is unwell - it must be kept at home and not brought in. Animals need to rest and recuperate, too, and a busy office is not the place to be when poorly.
There must be no-go areas: Agree that some places aren’t suitable for animals—for instance, the kitchen or bathrooms. If people aren’t keen on pets, there must be a safe space for those employees to go to so that they know they won’t need to come into contact with them.
Suitable feeding stations: Appropriate feeding and watering places for animals must be available at accessible spots in the workplace.
Suitable toilet arrangements: There must also be suitable provisions for toileting animals properly.
Fire alarm safety: Check with any animal to see how they react to the noise of fire alarms when they’re first at work. It might not be the best environment for them if they appear anxious or panicky. This also includes ensuring they’re added to any evacuation plans to remove them from harm in an emergency safely.
Take time to organize a meet-and-greet session for everyone to familiarize themselves with the new office members —and vice versa. Once this is done and these steps are in place, you should all be able to enjoy having a furry pal to make a day at the office feel a bit brighter.
