Recent attention to the benefits of having pets in workplaces is likely to increase interest in designing pet friendly workplaces. As Quan and Schabram report “Studies in diverse settings—traditional offices but also universities, prisons, hospitals and courthouses—demonstrate that the presence of animals increases employee commitment and career satisfaction and reduces turnover intentions. These positive effects hold even for employees who have no pets or do not actively interact with animals at work. Why? Because pet-friendly policies are seen as evidence that organizations prioritize employee well-being. . . . Welcoming pets can help attract and retain the employees you wish to bring back to the office. . . . Various studies we analyzed found that the mere presence of animals provides employees comfort, buffers against stress, enhances work engagement and improves work-life quality. . . . psychologists found that participants working on decision-making tasks in the company of a dog (versus a dog's absence) rated their teams as more friendly and attentive, which increased their subsequent cooperation and interpersonal trust.”
Shawn Quan and Kira Schabram. 2023. “The Benefits of a Pet-Friendly Workplace.” Society for Human Resource Management/Harvard Business Review, https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/employee-relations/pages/the-benefits-of-a-pet-friendly-workplace-.aspx