Pets make really good coworkers. Office pets not only lighten up the ambience, they also have a positive effect on productivity and mental health
We love the idea of having office pets. Don’t you?
We all can agree that pets are our adorable friends that offer companionship in all kinds of situations — both joyful and tough. And so, we see many of our neighbors, friends, relatives, and even our coworkers adopting various kinds of pets, thanks to the beautiful companionship they offer.
After you’ve had a tiring or stressful day at work or whenever you are depressed owing to any other reason, it is your pet that provides you with some comfort. They also help us get through our long work days and make them less stressful and monotonous.
What about taking your pets to the office with you? Many offices have started permitting pets on their campuses. And this list contains names of giants like Google, Amazon, Nestle, and much more if you go on to search. Pet lovers cannot be happier to bond with their “furry friend” or “partner in crime” during their free hours at work.
Follow our guide for office pets to add happiness and joy and improve the overall employee motivation levels and prolong the employee lifecycle.
In this article, we will talk about:
We usually love to have dogs, cats, parrots, fish, or even a few rare animals or birds as pets in our homes. Some pets are easy to handle, and some are high maintenance and require special care.
Before squaring in on a pet for your office, you should remember to check your office policies for pets. In certain workplaces, a few coworkers choose to come together and adopt a pet so that the pet-care tasks get divided fairly. Whatever the case is, we suggest that you discuss it with your coworkers to check their comfort level of having a pet within the work premises.
Keeping all the above points and factors in mind, let us check out some pets that can fit well in an office environment.
These cute animals will have you and your colleagues going crazy over them. Let us see which pets are worthy to be the “best” for your workplace.
Being known as “man’s best friend”, how can one imagine our cute furry companions not making it to the list of “best office pets”? Being loyal and friendly, dogs are adorable pets to have. If your office policy permits pets, then a dog could be a great option. You can train your canine to be in the best of its behavior, whether inside or outside. They are also great for maintaining a stress-free environment and may help in breaking the ice and improving overall team bonding.
If your co-workers also love dogs, then your little fellow will have a lovely time bonding with everyone owing to its friendly nature.
As much as most of us love dogs, you need to keep a few things in your mind before you decide to take them to your office.
Dogs undoubtedly come at high maintenance. Hence be prepared to give sufficient time out of your busy schedule and they will be your best friends indeed.
As much as dogs are cute and lovely, our feline friends are no less. Who doesn’t like the cute and innocent little “purrs” and “meows” that cats make?
So what does your cat need? A litter box so that your workplace does not become a mess, a few toys and not to mention, food and water. Unlike dogs, cats do not need to be taken for walks and take up less space. Your cute little whiskered friend will not bother you on your stressful days.
A few things to keep in mind before you zero in on your feline:
If you are looking for easy office pets, then nothing can beat fish. Other than a low-maintenance pet and a stress buster, aquariums also serve as lovely office decor. Imagine how beautiful your workplace reception or waiting room would look with a lovely aquarium at the corner!
Research states that aquariums are stress relievers and bring up moods. Just watching these colorful fish swimming in their water areas offers a soothing experience to the mind. It also improves your concentration levels at work. If you are too tired, just go and sit beside an aquarium for a while and experience that freshness within you in a few minutes!
Fish also prove to be adorable office desk pets. The most common choice of fish for workplaces is Betta fish, however, remember that they do not get along with other Betta fish and you cannot house two of them within the same aquarium.
So what do fish require to be placed in your workplace? Undoubtedly a clean aquarium and fish food. Aquariums with filters need to be cleaned once in a while; however, a little large aquarium may require more maintenance. The water has to be extremely clean. And take care that no one messes with your aquarium by shaking or else it could fall and break and we all know the repercussions that follow.
When compared to dogs and cats, these schools could be a little less interactive and they are happy in their water world. Still, you can opt for fish as a pet for your workplace.
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While choosing an office pet, how can we forget our carrot-eating friend? Rabbits or bunnies are not only fluffy and cute, they hardly make any noise. Hence be assured that you will not face any kind of unwanted disturbances from this furry companion of yours.
Just like dogs, you can train rabbits too and they can become great buddies. What do rabbits require? Hay, grass, or even carrots to feed on, and lots of ventilation and fresh air. Moreover, all of us are pretty aware that rabbits love hopping. It is an excellent form of exercise for them which helps them to be fit and active.
Also, rabbits do not stink at all. However, rabbits are not as easy to maintain as fish are and they need someone to play with them. So ensure there is a designated person to entertain your bunny. And if you find time in between your work hours, then a rabbit is ideal.
Belonging to the parrot family, this beautiful bird can also be a good choice for a cool office pet. However, ensure that you have sufficient space to set up a cage big enough for the Budgie to roam inside it freely.
Experts suggest purchasing a square cage for the bird to be comfortable. Budgies tend to fly horizontally, and hence they require that much space for free movement. A circular cage will not be comfortable for them.
Apart from the cage, you would also have to keep water and food for your bird. Budgies eat pellets, seeds, and even fresh fruits and vegetables. Also, arrange for some colorful toys to be kept within the cage that could keep these parakeets busy. However, do not stuff the cage with toys as it could obstruct the birds’ free movement.
Budgies love to interact with everyone and are quite friendly. It is always better to keep at least two or maybe even three of these within a cage so that they give each other company. You can train your budgies to talk and this can be quite entertaining.
A few things to keep in mind before you settle down for budgies as your office pet:
It’s hard to imagine having a reptile as a pet, but then, Geckos make cute office pets. Geckos come from the lizard family. There are about 2000 species of Geckos found on this planet, out of which, Leopard Geckos are the most preferred form of pets.
Leopard Geckos are pretty calm. They can also be handled easily. You can safely put them in the category of “low maintenance office pets” or “easy office pets.”
What do Leopard Geckos feed on? They love to eat insects like crickets, mealworms, super worms, and waxworms. Apart from these, geckos require calcium to boost their bone health. Leopard Geckos are typically desert creatures, and hence, they stay comfortable in a place with high amounts of heat and low humidity.
Heating lights can help you attain the desired temperature suitable for housing Geckos. Hygrometers can be used to measure the amount of humidity within the Gecko enclosure.
So if you would like to have a unique office pet, why not try this one out?
Just like fish, sea monkeys also fall within the category of “easy office pets” or “low maintenance office pets.” What are these water creatures? Sea Monkeys are descendants of the brine shrimp. Their main requirements are a clean aquarium with a sufficient supply of oxygen and timely provision of sea monkey food. If you address these factors correctly, expect to have healthy sea monkeys swimming within the tank for at least two years.
You can purchase a Sea Monkey kit and set up an aquarium according to the instructions given in the kit. They typically hatch in unchlorinated salt water in about five days and once they hatch, start giving them the required quantity of food once every five days. Do not overfeed sea monkeys as they could die.
Watching sea monkeys swimming in their area can be a soothing feeling and it helps you bring down your stress levels. You can keep the aquarium in any suitable location within your office.
We have given you some best options for office pets in the above section. Most of them are common options that many will opt to get to the workplace. However, if you want to stand apart, then you can choose some unique creatures or animals as pet options for your workplace.
Who would think that these creatures sporting bristle-like coats could be beloved pets too? Hedgehogs are quite cute and adorable and are nocturnal creatures like owls. This means night-shift employees can have some entertainment during their free time. Of course, you also need to be on the night shift to care for it and feed it.
Hedgehogs exist in many variations, but the African pygmy hedgehog, also known as the four-legged hedgehog, is the one preferred as a pet. It is quite small in size, however, it does need a lot of care. Their coats are not precisely sharp, however, they can become so whenever these creatures get scared or feel threatened in some way.
What is the diet for hedgehogs? They normally feed on insects like earthworms, beetles, earwigs, and also slugs. You can also provide them with high-protein pellets loaded with vitamins and minerals.
Hedgehogs should be housed within a cage suiting their needs. They need sufficient exercise to stay healthy so keep this in mind before choosing a home for your pet.
Although many of your friends or colleagues may not opt for a hedgehog as a pet, there is no harm if you go on and adopt one.
Again, stick insects are unusual creatures to be adopted as pets but you can go ahead and choose this as your office pet. Now, here’s an interesting fact about these insects - the probability of a stick insect being a male is just 1 out of 1000. And males can fly!
These insects just feed on leaves, and hence, even the food part is sorted for you. However, ensure that these leaves are fresh and are not laden with pesticides else these insects could die.
Also, stick insects should be placed within a well-ventilated area, next to other stick insects only. Ensure that their habitat is kept in a warm place inside, away from direct sunlight.
If you are residing in the US, you are allowed to breed only the local stick insects. If you are considering adopting the ones that are not native to the country, you may have to fulfill a few legal formalities.
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Take a look at this cute animal. Doesn’t it strikingly resemble a rat? Well, a chinchilla is also a rodent and is a distant cousin of the rat.
If you are thinking of a unique office pet for yourself, then why not get a chinchilla? Going by its looks, you can make out that chinchillas are quite soft and furry externally. These are quite calm and active at the same time. Hence, ensure they have enough space within their area to stay active and happy. Also, these rodents love to roll and play in the dust.
What do these feed on? Chinchillas love to eat grass and hay. Now here is an interesting fact - a chinchilla’s teeth continue to grow throughout its life. Hence biting on grass and hay helps them to maintain the correct structure of their teeth. Occasionally, you can also treat them to dry fruits and root vegetables. Readymade chinchilla food consists of a combination of parsley, plantain, and linseed. You can choose to give this as well.
A few things to keep in mind:
Apart from these factors, a chinchilla is a very sweet pet.
Now, after going through the above list, you have a very good idea if you are planning on getting an office pet. Although each of these animals is adorable in its own way, we cannot deny the fact that there could be a downside too, when it comes to keeping pets in the office.
Now a question may arise in your mind - will your office environment be “paw-sitive” or can it turn into a “cat-astrophe”? Let us find out. Here are a few advantages and disadvantages of having office pets.
We will always consider the good aspects first. Here are some advantages of having pets in your office.
Having a bad day at work? Need a short break? Then it is best to look upon your pet friend. Whether you have a dog, a cat, a fish, or any other pet, spending time with these creatures for a little while helps you relax your mind. And who knows, you can wrap up all your important and unfinished businesses as fast as possible while at work.
Once you have brought your pet to your workplace, you can find a difference in your productivity too. The reason for this is quite self-explanatory — when you are in the presence of your pet, you may feel more relaxed and stress-free.
Would you ever bother taking walks in or around your office post your meal times? Well, if you need to take your dog out for a walk, you may do so. Also, if you want to play with your rabbit, cat, or chinchilla, you would expend some of your energy even there, right? Interacting and playing with pets can surely help you boost your fitness levels.
Even if you may not talk too much during your work hours with your co-workers, your pet will force you to interact more often with your colleagues or other pet parents. If you and your coworker share similar interests and thoughts with respect to pets, you can probably share these with each other and have a good lively discussion. Sounds great, isn’t it?
With pets in your office, your overall office culture will improve. Don’t be surprised to see many new people joining your workplace. You need to thank your office policies and of course, your pets.
As we have mentioned above, speak to your colleagues before you decide to bring in a pet. You never know, some of your colleagues could be allergic to pets and you just don’t want that happening.
Some pets, when untrained, could create a ruckus and cause a lot of disturbance. This could be a great hindrance to those who need a lot of concentration while working.
A few pets need your time for training and walks, especially when they are younger. Likewise, you need to give in your time to other pets like rabbits or even cats to play with them so that they are not bored.
Remember, if your pet is left all alone without any care while you are away working, it could feel very lonely and ultimately depressed. And you just don’t want your loved one to go through any of this. Hence decide on an office pet only when you know that you dedicate some amount of time daily to its well-being.
We did mention earlier that having pets can be a great stress-buster and also improves your productivity. However, as we all know the saying that “excess in any form is bad.” Too much pet pampering can become a big hindrance to achieving your daily goals at work and your performance at work could witness a downfall. Hence, it is very important to strike the right balance between your work and managing your pet in the office.
There is always a risk of harm from pets who are not well-trained. If your pet harms or injures any other employees, only you would be liable to take up responsibility. Thus, to avoid getting into any trouble of this sort, we advise you to train and tame your pets well before they enter your workplace.
Having pets within your workplace premises is undoubtedly fun. We also know the responsibilities that every pet owner needs to take after bringing them to the office. Having said that, how can an organization enforce discipline and order when it comes to allowing pets in the office? Of course, the company's responsibility lies in designing a fool-proof pet policy that will enable pet parents to ensure that they are following all the laid-down rules with regard to pets correctly.
Well-defined pet policies are more likely to promote a more healthy relationship between pet owners and the organization. It will ensure the smooth functioning of the complete “pet-in-office” process.
Now let us check out a few pet policies that can be enforced within organizations. These policies can help and give ideas to the HR departments of various organizations while drafting pet policies for their companies.
You can always decide on what pets should be allowed in the office and which ones are prohibited. Although all pets are not dangerous, you can still decide on the permissible pets. For instance, many companies including Amazon, Etsy, Glassdoor, etc have a “dog-only” policy. Likewise, a few organizations prohibit pets like rabbits or chinchillas as they could chew up a few wires here and there, which could cause significant damage to the office property.
This goes without saying that unvaccinated pets should be banned from entering the office. The reason is self-explanatory. Clean and vaccinated pets have a very less likelihood of spreading allergies and infecting other employees and even pets.
If companies offer health insurance to pets, then pet parents would be more than happy to be a part of such organizations. Companies like Google provide pet health insurance coverage to dog owners. Lately, many more organizations are following this principle.
Pets should be allowed to move about only in designated areas. For instance, you cannot let your dog or cat sneak inside a meeting or conference room where some serious discussions tend to happen. Likewise, there could be a few more instances where pets tend to climb on chairs and desks and even dirty the place.
The complete responsibility of handling the pet should be that of the owner. Every pet owner needs to ensure that their pet does not:
If the organization finds that any pet owner is not adhering to any of these instructions, it has complete authority to prevent the owner from bringing their pet to the office campus.
We hope you have a good idea about what kind of pet you would want at your workplace. While having an office pet can be super fun, it also comes with its own set of challenges. Just like pets are a part of our family, so are our coworkers and also our organization.
Hence, it is very important that you strike the right kind of balance between your pet and your work so that your pet also enjoys itself completely in your workplace and the same feelings are reciprocated by your colleagues towards your pet.
Just like you train your kids in multiple aspects before you return back to work, the same goes for your pet too. You can train your pet in many aspects and start rewarding it for its good behavior. Small gestures like these will go a long way in helping both you and your pet.
Office workers need to tame and train their pets while they are away at work. They should also ensure that their feeding and activity timings are being maintained and the food quality remains high.
Most Presidents of the United States have had pets in the White House except for a few like James K Polk, Andrew Johnson, and Donald Trump. Warren G. Harding’s Laddie Boy was quite famous during his tenure.
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