Pet-friendly workplaces are no longer a “nice-to-have” for Europeans but an expectation.
Mars’ Pet-Friendly Advantage (PFA) 2026 Workplace Report revealed that pet-friendly policies are a powerful tool for boosting workplace well-being, culture, and talent retention.
Move over table tennis and free snacks
Data from the hiring platform Indeed showed that interest in dog-friendly policies is rapidly growing, with job postings in the U.K. that mention “dog-friendly” increasing 14-fold since 2019.
With 81 percent of employees surveyed saying pets create a more relaxed atmosphere at work, it is no surprise that the demand for pet-friendly workplaces rivals, and in some cases exceeds, traditional workplace perks.
More than a third of workers prioritised pet-friendly policies over personal benefits such as employee discount schemes, cycle-to-work schemes, free snacks, or after-work socials. A similar proportion even ranked pet policies above enhanced benefits such as parental leave and private healthcare.
Gen Z and Millennials have been driving this shift in “work perks”- 41 percent of 18–24-year-olds actively look for pet-friendly policies when job hunting, almost double the rate of workers over 55. And 42 percent prioritised these over enhanced personal benefits, compared to 25 percent of 55+.
Pet-friendly policies have become a must-have benefit to secure the rising talent of today and tomorrow.
Pet policies signal a company cares
For employers, the business case for investing in pet-friendly workplaces is strong, especially as more companies introduce return-to-office mandates, making pet care a more challenging consideration for pet parents.
Half of European workers feel that companies with pet-friendly policies are more supportive of employees transitioning to office-based working, and a third said that a formal, well-managed “pets in the office” policy signalled the company cares about employee wellbeing.
Despite its tangible value, there is a clear information gap between the desire for pet-friendly policies and employees’ ability to find them. Half of all workers do not know where to source information on pet-friendly policies when searching for a job.
A further third said their company has pet-friendly policies but doesn’t advertise them in job ads. This presents a clear competitive advantage for companies that communicate their policies transparently, thereby differentiating themselves in the hiring process.
As employees juggle responsibilities at home and at work, allowing pets in the workplace can be a simple but effective way to enhance the employee experience.
