Perks of a pet-friendly office
Although my workplace is remote-first, I try to go to the office a few times a week. I enjoy getting out of the house and seeing my colleagues. Plus, since my office is pet-friendly, I get to see their pets as well! This list is dedicated to the cute furry friends that improve office life.
NB. In most cases, it seems like "pet-friendly" really only means "dog-friendly". I suppose inoffensive pets like fish, or the occasional friendly cat on a leash could qualify as well.
1. Petting an office pet can help relieve stress
In the workplace, stress abounds. A cute office pet helps melt that stress away almost instantaneously.
2. Office pets can be a great subject for small talk
With Auggy in the office, no one runs out of things to talk about. We need only look over at him to comment on whatever frisky activity occupies him at the moment.
3. Pets bring humor to the workplace and remind you to smile at the little things in life
Our office pet is very silly, if sometiems shy. He's also long and lanky and ambles about in a funny way. Basically, if you look at him, you're guaranteed to smile.
4. Having a pet in the office can help you get up, stretch, and move
Pets need to be walked and tended to, even if they're small. This means that the pet owner, or whoever is watching the pet at the moment, has to get up and walk around to tend to them. I know it might not sound like much, but, as someone who sits in a chair for 8+ hours per day, I'll take what I can get.
5. Office pets are a reminder that there's always time for a break
Pets need to be tended to when they need to be tended to, at times that are sometimes convenient and sometimes not. They're a good remind that, in most cases, the work in front of us isn't life or death, and there's always time for a moment of pause.
6. Looking for easy social interaction while sipping your mid-morning coffee? Pets can be easier and more fun to interact with than many humans.
Perhaps they're less great conversationalists though.
7. Knowing whether a company has pet-friendly offices can be a heuristic for how modern and "tech-y" the workplace is
Allowing pets in the office says a lot about company culture. Namely, it's probably safe to assume that a company that allows office pets trends younger, has more flexibility, and has a less rigid hierarchical structure. This can be a helpful recuruiting tool, or, alternatively, it can invite applicants who don't enjoy less form structures to self-select out of a recruitment process.
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