When it comes to attracting and retaining the top dogs, have you ever thought that a dog itself could be the answer? If not, be prepared to think again. As many as 42% of Millennials say they’d enjoy having a canine companion in the workplace.
So having a Pets at Work (PAW) scheme makes good sense when recruiting bright young things. But more than that it can actually give all your employees a boost and get their tails well and truly wagging. Indeed, 24% of companies that have implemented PAW say that relationships in the workplace have been improved since their introduction. Add to this the fact that 40% say PAW programmes have enhanced their work/life balance, and 48% believe a dog could reduce stress, and you’d be completely barking not to at least consider it.
Of course, as with any pet policy, enacting a PAW scheme requires careful consideration. But issues such as allergies and phobias need not put you off having four-legged friends in the office. Purina has been at the ‘pawfront’ of such workplace schemes for years, and would be more than happy to share their considerable experience in this area.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Further reading
Dogs in the office: How Nestlé makes it work
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At Purina all dogs at work have to go through a ‘pawthorisation’ process, with a three-month probation period, before they qualify for their ‘passpawt’ (there’s a running theme to the terminology, if you haven’t already picked up on it). You may want to have some dog-free areas or meeting rooms. Little ‘accidents’ are extremely rare (there are dog gardens for that), and are cleaned up quickly. But these are far from insurmountable challenges, and the benefits to be had far outweigh the issues you need to address.
So it seems that the company that throws sticks together, literally sticks together. Implementing a PAW in your workplace is seen as a benefit to 50% of employees, and for many existing dog owners it could be a deal breaker. Improved relationships, inspired employees, reduced stress; no wonder a third of companies with a PAW scheme believe it makes their employees happier and healthier. It seems that recruiting a few new colleagues with colder noses and shinier coats tends to go down a treat.
If you’d like to find out more about how to make your daily office life that bit more extraordinary, Purina can help. Download our Pets at Work toolkit for more information on how to start your own PAW, or email pawallianceuk@purina.nestle.com.
