Bring your dog to work
There has been an increase in businesses implementing pet friendly policies, as there are known physical and mental health benefits to having your furry friends at work. It can reduce stress, improve morale, and even increase productivity.
However employers must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that the health and safety of workers and other people is not put at risk from any visiting pets you should consider factors such as:
- will having a pet at work adversely impact someone’s health, such as a person with allergies or phobias?
- is your workplace a safe environment for the pet? Workplaces with mobile plant or with high volumes of people movements may not be safe
- how will you manage pets within your work environment to ensure they do not create a risk to others? For example, making sure the pet isn’t a slip/trip/fall risk, that it won’t attack anyone, and that it is healthy to prevent potential spread of infections?
Things employers can do include:
- ask your workers if anyone has allergies or fears/phobias before the pet comes to work. If anyone objects, don’t allow the pet to come to work
- make sure there’s access to an outdoor area for pets to go to the loo
- make sure the pet owner knows where their pet is not allowed, such as kitchen areas, changerooms and toilets, and even certain offices/workspaces
- create a policy/guidelines so pet owners and others know what is expected and accepted.
Things pet owners can do include:
- follow your employer policy/guidelines and respect others who may not be so happy to see your pet
- supervise your pet at all times
- make sure your pet is healthy, vaccinated, and on regular worm, tick and flea treatments
- bring a bed, mat or crate and their own toys and food/water dish so the pet is comfortable and has its own designated place to stay when not being introduced to everyone
- consider a lead when walking your pet around the workplace
- take your pet on regular loo breaks outside.