A managing director apologized after his 70-pound dog jumped on his colleagues in the office. It shows how divisive workplace pet policies can be.
Henry Sands
- Henry Sands, a political strategist, used to bring his two dogs into work.
- He stopped after they kept jumping on his colleagues.
- A surge in pet ownership has put a spotlight on corporate pet policies, which can be divisive.
Britain is sometimes referred to as a nation of pet lovers but one executive has found out the hard way that business and pets don't always mix.
Henry Sands, managing director of political consultancy Sabi Strategy, would occasionally bring his 70-pound labrador Bear and 33-pound spaniel Digby into the firm's London office but had to apologize after they kept on jumping on his unsuspecting colleagues.
"[Bear] is a big black Labrador … it's like some big black bear coming straight for them," Sands told Insider. "They can look quite scary, my dogs, if you don't know them, but they're soft as anything."
However, Sands told Insider he now avoids bringing his dogs in "unless it's to avoid a domestic crisis" — although he does sometimes take them to church with him when he leads the service in Norfolk.
Sands was one of a number of pet owners who spoke to the Financial Times about their experience with company pet policies. These policies have been under the spotlight as companies look for ways to attract workers back into the office after two years of pandemic-enforced remote working.
Pet-friendly office policies were already a thing before the pandemic — Amazon and Google, for example, are famously vocal about their dog-friendly policies for corporate staff. Others have tried to attract talent by offering paid "pawternity leave" and pet insurance, among a package of other niche perks.
Pet ownership soared as people worked from home during Covid-19 lockdowns. Now that they're being asked to come back into the office, some workers find themselves on long waiting lists for pet care — or reluctant to fork out thousands in fees for the service.
This has left some employers in a sticky situation. For those that want them around, dogs can be great for wellbeing and productivity. But for office workers who are allergic, scared, or simply don't want the distraction, office pets can be problematic.
Sabi Strategy provides political and strategic advice, work which often requires long periods of concentration. Sands says dogs can be an unnecessary distraction, but he understands why it may work better for other businesses.
He said that it's important to give staff flexibility, and he does let his 10 colleagues bring their pets to the shared office in Notting Hill if it really helps them. But he finds the idea that managers are trying to come up with specific incentives involving dogs to get people into the office "bonkers."
"I'd question the caliber of staff you're bringing if they're going to make a decision about where they work based on whether they can bring their dog in or not," Sands said.
He believes that it risks becoming a cop-out for managers, instead of having them take responsibility for policies that genuinely support staff.
Some businesses are trying to jump on the challenge presented by office dogs.
In October the UK FTSE 250 retailer Pets at Home released new PETiquette guidance which employers could consult on how to manage office pets.
"Going 'dog friendly' should not be a quick decision," said Pets at Home group director of people partnering Jane Beresford in a release reported by The Evening Standard.
The guidelines include ensuring that dogs have a bed close to the owner's desk and receive regular exercise. It also recommends having boxes of silent toys around the office.
from Business Insider https://ift.tt/i9QOjFE
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