Pet Friendly Workplaces
PIA Australia
November 10, 2016
Everyone has heard of pet friendly workplaces, but do they actually exist?
The easy answer is a big furry YES! Pet Insurance Australia and PetSure are happy to boast about their pet friendly workplaces, which brings happiness and health to employees, and their beloved companion animals alike.
“We are happy to say that we not only talk the talk, but we also walk the walk when it comes to pet friendly work environments,” announces Nadia Crighton from Pet Insurance Australia. “Most of us at PIA work the day away surrounded by four legged companions. It really helps with stress levels and the general mood around the office.”
*Scientists and researchers have known for years that employees are less-stressed, relaxed and even more trusting after interacting with a dog. The real-life benefits of having a companion animal grace the boardroom is currently playing out in many businesses across Australia.
PIA is not alone, at PetSure, the administrator for more than 80% of the companion pet insurance policies in Australia (including Pet Insurance Australia), they display an impressive modern approach to the pet friendly workplace.
Annette Finck, Head of HR at PetSure, knows firsthand the improved staff performance and enlightened environment a pet can offer. This is a notion that is echoed throughout many pet friendly workplaces in Australia.
“The energy that pets create in the office is great,” states Annette. “We believe that they reduce stress and they improve the general mood – everyone gets incredibly excited when pets are in the office. We’ve seen studies that show pets are known to improve people’s performance as well as outputs in an office environment – we believe that’s our experience too.”
Pet Insurance Australia and PetSure have also noticed that pets can boost creativity while allowing employees to have a much-needed mental break throughout the day.
“These breaks allow the team to function at a much higher level of productivity and can really help with mental and tiresome blocks,” Crighton says.
“Pets provide people with a mental break and time out – but they can also help snap us out of ‘regular’ thought patterns; meaning we then address our work tasks in new and better ways,” adds Annette.
But we know what you are all thinking …what about those little office accidents?
“Our Legal Counsel’s office has been picked as the preferred ablution block for one particular four-legged visitor,” knowingly smiles Annette. “But in truth, most pets in the office are 100% well-behaved. Our polished concrete floors have been turned into something like a skating rink by a couple of dogs chasing each other which has provided quite a few funny
*http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/17538351211215366
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