British workers prioritising dogs over their jobs

Thousands of British workers are prioritising their dogs over their jobs, as increasing numbers of staff return the office, new research reveals.

A survey of pet owners by national pet charity Blue Cross has found 45% of staff have swapped to remote or hybrid roles because they offered greater flexibility to care for their pet.

In addition, 16% say they would consider changing jobs if they had to return to the office full-time, while 55% said they would sacrifice a pay rise or holiday days in exchange for flexibility.

Half of dog-owning employees admit they are currently considering moving jobs to better meet their pet’s needs, the research reveals.

A quarter of dog owners say they actively look for firms offering pet-friendly offices with doggy daycare (26%) and hybrid flexibility arrangements (46%).

Meanwhile, 46% of dog owners said they had felt judged or unsupported at work due to their responsibilities to their pet.

The research also finds that 33% of UK bosses are considering dog-friendly policies to entice more of their staff back into the office. While 12% already have dog-friendly policies in place.

More than half (58%) of dog-owning employees say they would spend more days in the office if they were allowed to bring their pets in to work with them.

In addition, 59% of business leaders believe dog owners should be given similar flexibility to parents, according to the research.

The study reveals that 15% of dog owners would quit if they were ordered back into the office full-time.

Other key finding of the Blue Cross report were:

• 45% of workers say flexible work allows them to be better pet owners.
• 28% say they would take a pay cut to stay remote or hybrid and keep their pet routine intact.
• 46% of employees think businesses should offer more support with flexible or hybrid working policies for dog owners
• 44% of employees would quit working from home if they were given flexibility to bring their pets into the office.

Blue Cross says its survey suggests that dogs are regular visitors in around 16% of UK offices.

Beth Verrechia, Director of People Services at Blue Cross, said: “Studies have shown that having dogs around can boost morale and that the employees with access to dogs had higher job satisfaction than industry norms, but not all pets will cope with the commute and office life.”

She added: “Our survey shows the difficult choices that pet owners are facing in today’s economic climate. We’d urge businesses to help their pet owning employees where possible, offering flexible work arrangements, responsible pet-friendly policies, even allowing pets in the workplace. This could be key to keeping families and their pets together.

“Of course, it won’t suit every workplace or every dog, and employers need to assess what’s right for them and their environment, but employers have a real opportunity to support their teams by embracing more compassionate and flexible work policies.”