Just under a fifth (16%) of millennial respondents would sacrifice employer-provided gym membership in order to have their dog in the office with them, according to research by Purina PetCare.
Its survey of 1,122 UK employees over the age of 18 and 252 senior managers or higher-level leaders, also found that 28% of employee respondents aged between 18 and 34 would give up employer-paid, on-site yoga classes in order to bring their dogs to work.
The research also found:
- 27% of employer respondents have implemented a dog-friendly policy in their organisation.
- 28% of employer respondents would like to introduce a dog-friendly policy.
- 46% of employer respondents feel that having a dog-friendly policy creates a friendlier atmosphere, and 41% of those that have a dog-friendly policy in place believe it calms and de-stresses the office environment.
- 42% of employee respondents aged between 18 and 34 would like or enjoy a dog-friendly workplace, and 24% think a dog-friendly workplace would make an organisation more attractive to them.
- 41% of millennial employee respondents believe that having dogs in the office would be a morale booster, compared to 32% of employer respondents.
- 36% of millennial employee respondents have no reservations about having dogs at work, or feel that any potential problems would be outweighed by the positives, while 74% of this group can see the benefits of having dogs in the workplace.
- 29% of employer respondents that allow dogs in the workplace say that this encourages social interactions between employees.
Paul Steadman (pictured), human resources director at Purina, said: “From our own experience, we know that pet-friendly workplaces lead to a whole range of positive benefits such as higher employee engagement, talent retention, greater wellbeing, higher performance and productivity, increased inspiration and decreased stress.”