U.S. Employees are "Begging" to Bring Their Dogs to Work

FRANKLIN, Tenn., June 14, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Our co-workers often become our friends, confidants and trusted sources for advice. They brighten our workdays and keep us on track, but what about the furry friends that we say goodbye to each morning? A new survey of 1,000 employees and 2,000 employers uncovers just how much people value the opportunity to have their dog with them at work, as well as the growing desire from those who aren't currently able to.

"We've seen firsthand how having pets in the workplace helps break down barriers between co-workers and creates a more collaborative environment in our own pet-friendly offices," said Jam Stewart, vice president of corporate affairs at Mars Petcare. "Two years ago, we launched our BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ initiative, with the mission of creating a world where pets are welcome in more places. This survey uncovered valuable information that backs up our own findings – most notably that more than two thirds of employees wish they could bring their dog to work. We hope this information will inspire more companies to open their offices to pets."

Pets Work at Work
While more companies are starting to open their doors to our furry friends, not everyone is inclusive quite yet, with less than half of employees working in dog friendly offices. For those who are able to bring their dog to work, more than 40 percent truly maximize the time spent with their furry friend by bringing them to the office every day – and if given the chance, more than half of employees would bring their dog to work at least once a week!

Help Relieve Employee Worries
If you worry that your dog is lonely while at work, you're not alone – almost half of employees feel the same way. Other top concerns pet parents have focus on the basic needs of their pooch. More than a third worry their dog needs a walk, while 35 percent are concerned their dog is hungry or thirsty. By bringing your dog to work, you are able to see how they're doing and can take a break to walk them when needed, eliminating your worries.

Benefits Stretch Beyond Employees to Employers
With an increasingly competitive market, employers are striving to enhance their employee benefits to attract new talent and minimize turnover. One way employers are doing this is by becoming dog friendly – in fact, 87 percent of employers say being dog friendly helps them retain and attract more talent! And, the ability to bring their dog to work could be the deciding factor in choosing a company, with 59 percent of employees saying they would choose an employer who is dog friendly over one who is not.

We hope businesses across the country take note of these results and download our "Pets Work at Work" toolkit to take steps toward becoming more pet-friendly! To learn more about the survey, as well as Mars Petcare and the BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ program, please visit BetterCitiesForPets.com.

About BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™
BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ is a program of Mars Petcare US, the world's leading pet nutrition and health care business, created to help communities become more pet-friendly by bringing the voice of pets and their owners to places of influence and advocating for fewer pets in shelters, more pet-friendly places, and happier, healthier lives for both people and pets. Mars Petcare works with key partners, businesses and local governments to better understand how to improve communities by: providing safe and welcoming shelters that lead to forever homes; encouraging pet-friendly, responsible homes for pets; welcoming more pets into local businesses, and giving pets plenty of park space to play. For more information about Mars Petcare and BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™, visit www.bettercitiesforpets.com.

About Mars Petcare
Mars Petcare is a diverse and growing business with 75,000 Associates across 50+ countries dedicated to one purpose: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS™. With 75 years of experience, our portfolio of almost 50 brands serves the health and nutrition needs of almost half the world's pets – including brands PEDIGREE®, WHISKAS®, ROYAL CANIN®, NUTRO™, GREENIES™, SHEBA®, CESAR®, IAMS™ and EUKANUBA™ as well as The WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition which has advanced research in the nutrition and health of pets for over 50 years. Mars Petcare is also the world's largest veterinary health provider through a network of over 2,000 pet hospitals including BANFIELD™, BLUEPEARL™, PET PARTNERS™, and VCA™. We're also at the forefront of emerging innovation and technology for pets, pet owners and veterinarians, with WISDOM PANEL™ genetic health screening and DNA testing for dogs, the WHISTLE™ GPS dog tracker, and LEAP VENTURE STUDIO accelerator and COMPANION FUND™ programs that drive innovation and disruption in the pet care industry. As a family business and guided by our principles of mutuality and freedom, we are privileged with the flexibility to fight for what we believe in – and we choose to fight for: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS™.

SOURCE Mars Petcare

Related Links

http://www.mars.com