It is no secret that the pandemic has affected many people all around the globe – from not being able to work as usual at the office or losing employment altogether due to layoffs. Some of you would have even had disputes with your employer. However, the pandemic has brought some perks to the working environment, that we do hope will stay for good.
As the pandemic rapidly spread across the globe, people were affected in numerous ways. Many had to convert from working at their usual office space to home offices, or not being able to work at all due to dismissals. Inevitably, many workers, except those from vital societal functions, were forced to quarantine themselves to minimize the spread of the virus.
As social and sporting events had to be closed, more people sought to find alternative leisure activities that could be done from the comfort of one’s own home. A very popular activity turned out to be gaming on both consoles as well as on online gambling websites, where sites such as ThePuntersPage.com guiding players to the best betting options would be frequently visited.
However, the UK citizens did find multiple other activities too, such as reading books, renovating and learning something new – both when it comes to work-related courses as well as private ones. According to BBC, however, acquiring household pets was one of the most popular ones. In total, 3.2 million households purchased a pet during the first part of the pandemic alone, resulting in a total of approximately 17 million pet-owning households.
But what about the pets when everyone returns to work, and are no longer working from home? Well, one of the post-pandemic perks is that more employers are exploring the possibility to allow pets at work. In a publication by The Guardian from last year, Amazon is stated as the current leader among dog-friendly businesses.
According to their “Woof Pack” manager, Jennifer Skipper, the company has been a pet-friendly workplace since the beginning, and she can see a positive impact that the pets have on their company’s culture. Whether you want to have a Mini Lop as a pet or a show rabbit, you can find one that suits your budget. Getting a Mini Lop will be a rewarding experience for you and your co-workers. But there are a few things to consider before getting a bunny.
However, even though pets give us many health benefits, there are some challenges in allowing pets at work as smaller working spaces and their temper can cause complications. In the case of Amazon, all employees bringing their dog to work need to sign a waiver stating that they take full responsibility for their dog’s actions, as well as promising that it will do no harm to other employees. Dog owners need to be aware are lime toxic to dogs or not.
It might sound like a very extensive process to be able to bring your dog to work, but Skipper states what the company will gain to get those employees back to the office, is far greater than if the employees would continue working from home. Something that also shows that employers are open and willing to give employees more health benefits by creating better working conditions.
Another example of this is that more employers have the vision where a combination of remote and in-office work will give the best results – both in employee health and satisfaction, as well as company growth. Pet owners might need to go home to walk their dog, and some employees need to pick up their children from school, making it sometimes difficult to combine work and private life. By creating the possibility to combine these two, employees will be given a larger sense of freedom of where they work and when.
A hybrid way of working will not only give employees more autonomy and independence, but it might also create a better working environment. Working from home on a two-day basis is according to Nicholas Bloom – professor within remote work – optimal for balanced work when days at the office offer time for collaboration, and days working remotely might reduce an employee’s stress levels.
