We are going through a serious labor shortage and many people are reluctant to return to the office. So how can small businesses attract workers? Maybe we should consider dogs and cats?

It’s no secret that pet ownership has skyrocketed during the pandemic. According to the American Pet Products Association, 11.38 million US households adopted a new pet during the pandemic, with 75% of all pet owners saying spending time with a dog or cat helped to reduce their stress and increase their sense of well-being during Covid. -19.

This means that there are many more people with pets than ever before. And make no mistake: we love our pets. But owning a pet is expensive (some estimates are around $ 1,500 per year for a single dog). And leaving our pets after working from home for so many months is difficult.

So difficult that, according to a recent study by pet products company Bark, more than 70% of dog owners still working from home expect to miss their pet when they return to the workplace, compared to only 42% to whom their spouse and 39% who will miss their children. So difficult that some pet insurers are now covering claims for behavior therapy and treatment for dogs who are grieved that their owners leave them during the day.

Do you miss a pet more than your own children? Behavioral therapy for a dog? As employers, we must not judge, but we must react – which many business owners across the country are doing. And they do two things.

Companies large and small are increasingly offering pet insurance. 2018 Nationwide Insurance Study, Claiming to Insure Over 700,000 Pets, Says Pet Health Insurance “is rapidly becoming one of the most requested voluntary benefits as its popularity continues to soar among U.S. employers seeking to attract, hire and retain pets. own employees ”. And that was long before the increase in the number of pet owners linked to the pandemic.

Typical pet insurance policies – which employers can pay in full or make available to their employees at discounted rates negotiated with the insurance company – cover wellness exams, injections, illnesses. chronic and acute illnesses and injuries. According to Nationwide, offering pet insurance is a great way for employers to show that they care about employees.

In addition to pet insurance, a growing number of companies allow their employees to bring their pets to work. The most famous of these is Amazon, which once again ranked as the top dog-accepting company in the country this year, according to data provided by the Pet Sitting and Dog Walking Service. Rover.

“Amazon has been accepting dogs since day one,” Jennifer Skipper, head of Amazon’s “Woof Pack” (how about that for a dream job?) Said in the Rover announcement. “Our dogs are a special part of Amazon’s special culture and a connecting mechanism. We have found that dogs in the office really contribute to our collaborative corporate culture.

Allowing people to bring dogs to the office can be tricky, especially for a small business, and companies that allow this practice have pretty strict policies.

These include asking employees to verify that their pet is properly trained and providing proof that the animal is insured, cleaned, parasite-free and vaccinated. Designated pet areas are generally reserved, some breeds may be off-limits or restricted access (sorry pit bulls, you are often unfairly accused) and owners should watch their pets at all times. In addition to establishing a formal complaint process, companies accepting dogs generally require employees to state in writing that their pet will not cause medical problems for their colleagues and to sign waivers stating that they are fully responsible for the condition. their dog’s behavior, which is frankly something that I could never guarantee.

I know, it sounds like a chore just for a dog. But people love their dogs, and allowing employees to bring their pets to work could be a powerful way to lure these suspicious workers out of their homes and back into the office. Another important benefit to consider is providing pet insurance. A whopping 69% of companies polled by human resources firm Willis Towers Watson said they plan to offer pet insurance, a 22% increase from last year.

Health insurance. Retirement plans. Work at home. Paid vacation. Benefits for pets. These are the hot perks of this year. If your small business doesn’t already offer them, you could be missing out on a great employee for a competitor. Not to mention a good boy or girl who could brighten up your day.