Since the early part of 2020, there have been many changes in the way we work, and many people spent many months working from home rather than in the office.
During the height of the pandemic, many of those who would normally have gone out to work were told to work from home instead, and this meant that those with pets got to spend all day with their furry friends.
For many pet owners, going back to working all day without their pets around has been very difficult, and a recent survey has shown how many pet owners are willing to make huge sacrifices in order to be with their pets.
In fact, the study, commissioned by Vetster, shows that many pet owners are willing to make huge changes to their work lives in a bid to continue working with their pets around them.
What Did the Survey Reveal?
There were various surprising points that were brought to light as a result of the survey.
Around 2000 people were polled as part of the study, and some of the results are revealed below:
- Nearly two-thirds of pet-owner employees had left their job to find employment at a pet-friendly workplace.
- Nearly half of respondents claim to be more productive when their pet is around.
- More than two-thirds of workers polled said that they would be willing to take a cut in pay if they could work in a pet-friendly office.
- Close to 40% of people said that their pets enabled them to avoid burnout.
- According to 46% of those polled, they make friends at work more easily with their pets around.
Of course, there are many other benefits that come with working in a pet-friendly workplace, and this has been highlighted by officials at Vetster.
In fact, Vetster has also launched an initiative on National Pet Day on April 11th, which calls on employers to give their employees the day off in celebration of their pets and to raise awareness of the issues highlighted regarding pet-friendly workplaces.
According to Vetster, a pet-friendly workplace can benefit employees but can also have a positive impact on the business. This is because having pets around can make people more productive, reduces anxiety among employees, and aid bonding between employees.
All of these things can benefit employees directly but can also have a positive impact on the business.
The survey went on to reveal that more than 70 percent of people polled said that it was far more important and beneficial for them to work in a pet-friendly environment now than it was prior to the outbreak of Covid and the lockdown.
With huge number of pet-owners clearly willing to give up their jobs and move on in order to be in a pet-friendly workplace, this is something that employers are going to have to seriously consider if they are not doing so already.
Failing to do this could mean that employers end up losing valued and crucial team members and may struggle to take on new ones.
