• Marketplace
  • Resources
  • Business Directory
  • Events
  • Advertise
  • Brand Pulse
  • Publish a Press Release
  • Get the Newsletter
  • Contact
  • About Us
The FUTURE OF WORK® since 2003
Allwork.Space
No Result
View All Result
Subscribe
  • More
    • Columnists
      • Dr. Gleb Tsipursky – The Office Whisperer
      • Nirit Cohen – WorkFutures
      • Angela Howard – Culture Expert
      • Drew Jones – Design & Innovation
      • Jonathan Price – CRE & Flex Expert
    • Get the Newsletter
    • Events
    • Advertise With Us
    • Publish a Press Release
    • Brand PulseNew
    • Partner Portal
  • Latest News
  • Business
  • Leadership
  • Work-life
  • Career Growth
  • Tech
  • Design
  • Workforce
  • Coworking
  • CRE
  • Podcast
  • More
    • Columnists
      • Dr. Gleb Tsipursky – The Office Whisperer
      • Nirit Cohen – WorkFutures
      • Angela Howard – Culture Expert
      • Drew Jones – Design & Innovation
      • Jonathan Price – CRE & Flex Expert
    • Get the Newsletter
    • Events
    • Advertise With Us
    • Publish a Press Release
    • Brand PulseNew
    • Partner Portal
  • Latest News
  • Business
  • Leadership
  • Work-life
  • Career Growth
  • Tech
  • Design
  • Workforce
  • Coworking
  • CRE
  • Podcast
No Result
View All Result
Subscribe
Allwork.Space
No Result
View All Result
Advertisements
Kube Suite - TL
Home Work-life

Some Workers Are Returning To Their Office – Will Their Dogs Come With Them?

Jamie OrrbyJamie Orr
May 6, 2021
in Work-life
Reading Time: 6 mins read
A A
SomeWorkersAreReturningToTheirOffice WillTheirDogsComeWithThem?

The past year saw a huge surge in pet adoptions as people looked for companionship while isolated under stay-at-home orders. What will the transition mean for the wellbeing of workers and their pets?

  • The past year saw a huge surge in pet adoptions as people looked for companionship while isolated under stay-at-home orders. 
  • A recent study has found that a majority of Americans are concerned about what the transition will mean for the wellbeing of their pets, and specifically about how to combat separation anxiety.
  • For many workers, the best case scenario is having the ability to bring their pets to work with them when they return to the office.

With many companies announcing plans for workers to return to their physical offices in the coming months, there is a growing concern about what that means for our relationships with our most loyal companions during the pandemic, our dogs.

The past year saw a huge surge in pet adoptions as people looked for companionship while isolated under stay-at-home orders. A recent survey conducted by Rover.com found that nearly 49% of Americans welcomed a “pandemic puppy” into their lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Advertisements
Nexudus - Tech Stack Lovers

Extended periods of time working from home meant more time around the comfort of our furry companions, an overwhelmingly positive outcome for people and pets alike. In fact, 93% of people polled by Rover said their “pandemic pet” improved their wellbeing and over 80% said it made working from home and being at home during the pandemic more enjoyable.

Now, with changes to our daily lives looming once again with work and travel away from home on the near horizon, Rover’s most recent study has found that a majority of Americans are concerned about what the transition will mean for the wellbeing of their pets, and specifically about how to combat separation anxiety.

Advertisements
Nexudus - Tech Stack Lovers

What is separation anxiety in dogs?

Separation anxiety, according to the ASPCA, an organization committed to the humane treatment of animals, is one of the most common behavioral complaints from pet parents. Pets experiencing separation anxiety may exhibit disruptive or destructive behaviors when left alone such as barking, chewing, digging, going potty in the house, and trying to escape along with also showing signs of distress such as pacing, drooling, whimpering, and agitation when an owner is getting ready to leave.

But it’s not just the emotional toll of the pet that people are concerned about. 

The Rover survey found that in addition to 80% of respondents being concerned about their pet’s separation anxiety, 76% of dog parents said they themselves have anxiety when thinking about being away from their dog.

Preparing your dog (and yourself) for when you go back to work

In anticipation of going back to work and/or traveling, the majority (73%) of dog owners said they’ve already started to take measures to prevent separation anxiety and 94% of pet parents said they’ve done their own research and/or talked to their vet about separation anxiety in dogs.

Advertisements
Yardi Kube automates flex and coworking operations

Certified Dog Trainer and Rover’s Dog People Panel member Nicole Ellis shared a few of her top recommendations in a new guide on separation anxiety to help pet owners make the transition less stressful for everyone:

  1. Work on crate training games. These are fun ways to create a positive association to a crate which can be a relaxing environment when they are stressed, if introduced properly. For example, throw a couple treats in the crate for your dog to find and give them plenty of encouragement when they go in the crate on their own. Don’t reward them, though, when they come out of the crate.
  2. Start slow. Spend short periods of time separate for your pet each day, starting really low such as 2-3 minutes and slowly building up time.
  3. Don’t make a big deal when you leave or come home. By fussing over your pet when you leave and come home, you’re potentially creating extra stress for the next time you leave. Keep it casual.
  4. Help your dog stay stimulated. Find puzzle games, frozen KONG recipes and other things that help keep your dog stay mentally busy.
  5. Offer pleasant distractions. Play some music, white noise or the TV to create noise in your house. Have it on when you leave. Animal-loving dogs may enjoy watching DogTV, which has the colors adjusted to attract dogs to the images on the screen.
  6. Try calming pheromones. Consider using a DAP diffuser, which releases dog-appeasing pheromones in the air. These don’t work for all dogs but may have a positive impact.
  7. Stick to a schedule. Get your dog on a similar schedule to what it will be when you do go back to work. This includes walks, mealtimes and attention.

Dog-friendly office? Bring your dog with you.

For many workers, the best case scenario is having the ability to bring their pets to work with them when they return to the office. A 2016 survey by Banfield Pet Hospitals found that 83% percent of employees feel a greater sense of loyalty to companies that have pet-friendly policies.

In the same Rover study about separation anxiety, one-third of pet owners reported that their dog helps them stay productive during the day. Another third said that their dog helped with work related stress such as negative feedback from a boss.

Bruntwood Works, which offers a range of office spaces in the UK, recently announced that it has made all of its coworking and serviced office spaces across Manchester dog-friendly. Speaking to the Manchester Evening News about the decision, Jack Maher, a senior commercial manager for Bruntwood said: 

More stories for you

Most Workers Expect To Become Caregivers But Remain Unprepared For Long-Term Responsibilities

Most Workers Expect To Become Caregivers But Remain Unprepared For Long-Term Responsibilities

6 days ago
Spain Considering Cutting Workweek From 40 To 37.5 Hours For 12.5 Million Workers

Spain Considering Cutting Workweek From 40 To 37.5 Hours For 12.5 Million Workers

7 days ago
Mexico To Cut Work Week From 48 To 40 Hours By 2030

Mexico To Cut Work Week From 48 To 40 Hours By 2030

2 weeks ago
These Are The U.S. Cities Where Workers Log The Longest Hours

These Are The U.S. Cities Where Workers Log The Longest Hours

2 weeks ago

“Since the pandemic began, dog ownership has increased significantly and we wanted to make sure we’re making a return to work as stress-free as possible. We’ve seen a rise in both existing and prospective customers asking for dog-friendly workspace, so this was a natural next step.” 

For these reasons, workplaces should seriously consider welcoming our furry friends, but also to have appropriate policies in place in order for it to be a positive aspect of the work environment. 

Pet-friendly policies should cover expectations for both the workplace and employees around bringing, caring for, as well as supervising pets while in the office. A number of sample policy templates are available online for companies can customize based on the specific needs and local regulations of the office space, including one from Better Cities for Pets. The template includes these key areas of consideration:

  • Pet Requirements: This includes what type of pets are welcome in the workplace and whether or not visitors are allowed to bring their pets along with them in addition to employees. Pets should always be well-trained, up to date on vaccinations, well-groomed, and covered under their owner’s insurance policy in the unfortunate case of an accident like a dog bite.
  • Pet Owner Responsibilities: Workspaces should ensure that any employee that brings their pet to work is willing to be fully responsible for their pet the entire time they are in the office. This includes ensuring that the pet is well behaved and not interfering with other employees’ work, that pets are kept out of pet-free areas, and that any accidents are cleaned up immediately if they happen. 
  • Management Strategies: Before welcoming pets into the workplace, management should set clear guidelines and expectations about where and when pets are allowed and how issues should be handled and escalated if a pet (or their owner) becomes a problem.

Whether or not the return to the office includes your furry coworkers or not, it is possible to make the transition stress free, for those that walk on four legs and those that walk on two.

Advertisements
Envoy - Workplace ROI
Advertisements
Subscribe to the Future of Work Newsletter
Tags: Work-life Balance
Share5Tweet3Share1
Jamie Orr

Jamie Orr

Jamie Orr, PhD is the cofounder of Jellyswitch, enabling the best possible experience for your flexible workspace. She also co-founded Cowork Tahoe, situated on the shores of beautiful Lake Tahoe. When not helping grow the flexible workspace movement, she is likely offering unsolicited science fun facts or chasing her two daughters on the mountain trails.

Other Stories Recommended For You

Most Workers Expect To Become Caregivers But Remain Unprepared For Long-Term Responsibilities
News

Most Workers Expect To Become Caregivers But Remain Unprepared For Long-Term Responsibilities

byAllwork.Space News Team
6 days ago

A new national survey discovered that while a majority of workers anticipate providing care for an aging loved one, few...

Read more
Spain Considering Cutting Workweek From 40 To 37.5 Hours For 12.5 Million Workers

Spain Considering Cutting Workweek From 40 To 37.5 Hours For 12.5 Million Workers

7 days ago
Mexico To Cut Work Week From 48 To 40 Hours By 2030

Mexico To Cut Work Week From 48 To 40 Hours By 2030

2 weeks ago
These Are The U.S. Cities Where Workers Log The Longest Hours

These Are The U.S. Cities Where Workers Log The Longest Hours

2 weeks ago
Advertisements
Maximize Flexible Space Revenue
Advertisements
Disaster Avoidance Experts

Unlock your competitive edge in tomorrow's workplace.

Join a community of forward-thinking professionals who get exclusive access to the latest news, trends, and innovations that are shaping the future of work.

©2024 Allwork.Space News Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

Exploring the Future Of Work® since 2003.

Advertise   Newsletters   Privacy Policy   Terms Of Use   About Us   Contact   Submit a Press Release   Brand Pulse   Podcast   Events   

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Latest News
  • Topics
    • Business
    • Leadership
    • Work-life
    • Workforce
    • Career Growth
    • Design
    • Tech
    • Coworking
    • Marketing
    • CRE
  • Podcast
  • Events
  • About Us
  • Solutions
    • Advertise | Media Kit
    • Publish a Press Release
    • Brand Pulse
Subscribe

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
-
00:00
00:00

Queue

Update Required Flash plugin
-
00:00
00:00