Want to Be an Inclusive Workplace? Don’t Neglect Pet Parents

Employers aiming to be more inclusive to employees and their needs may want to consider an often-overlooked but important part of the family: pets.

“The adoption and rise of pet ownership has never been higher,” Cerys Goodall, chief operating officer of veterinary telemedicine company Vetster, said Nov. 5 at SHRM INCLUSION 2024 outside Denver. That’s in part due to trends including more employees working from home and data on how pets can improve people’s mental and physical health.

Some employers have made strides on parental benefits and other family resources in recent years, but scores of employees who are also pet parents are clamoring for employer support.

In fact, Millennials—the largest workplace demographic—are three times more likely to have pets than kids, Goodall told attendees during one of the conference’s Spotlight Sessions. All these pet trends are showing up in the workplace—whether employers realize it or not.

“More workers are pet parents, and it’s important to them. If [someone] is a pet owner and it becomes difficult to care for their animal and do their job, more of them will think about leaving their job,” Goodall said, citing a recent Vetster survey of 1,800 employed pet owners that found 60% would consider leaving their job if it conflicted with their ability to care for their pet. Just 7% said they have left a job to find a new one in order to better care for their pet, and 24% have considered doing so but have not yet taken the leap.

Organizations that provide support for employees with pets—which can include pet-friendly offices, pet insurance, remote work, time off for vet visits, and even paid leave to care for a new pet—reap the benefits, she said.

“Companies that increase pet friendliness in the workplace are more likely to retain their employees for a much longer period of time,” she said. Nearly one-third of pet owners surveyed by Nationwide in 2022 (32%) said they would be more likely to stay at an organization that offered pet benefits—and the issue is even more important to those in Generation Z (49%) and Millennials (45%).

For employers that are considering how to support pet owners, there are three important steps, Goodall said.

Survey your employees. “Find out how many people have pets,” she said. “Find out how many might want to bring their dog into the office or would like additional support.”

Start small. “There are very simple, easy things to do that are accessible today, from pet insurance to pet telemedicine,” Goodall explained. Employers can also introduce pet-friendly days in the office or events to gauge employee interest and identify potential problems or issues.

Boost resources. After some pet-specific benefits and policies have been established, consider expanding them when employers have additional time or resources in place, Goodall said. Employers also can add and grow benefits based on employee feedback.

Goodall said: “The support of this can have a big [return on investment] for employers.”