With millions of working from home in this country, and with millions of those pet owners, there just may be a new epidemic if and when we get back to the office: separation anxiety.
However, a new survey of 500 C-level executives — that’s CEOs, CFOs and the like — shows that nearly 72% of them plan to make their workplaces more pet friendly post-pandemic. Nearly 60% say they’d be willing to allow their employees to keep working remotely just so they can keep their pets company, says the non-scientific survey commissioned by Banfield Pet Hospital.
The survey, which also polled 1,500 dog- and cat-owning employees, and found out three in ten of those have adopted a dog or cat during the pandemic.
Sixty-three percent of employees polled said their time working remotely have made them think about how they could fit their pets into the upcoming “new new normal.” with 57% saying they’d be happiest returning to work if their pet could tag along.
Millennial and Gen Z employees were found to be the most likely to have adopted a pet during the lockdown — and logically, the most likely to say they’d ask their employer to adopt a pet-friendly environment if they’re asked to return to work. In fact, nearly a quarter of those employees promised they’d be more productive with their furry friend around the office.