‘My work feels like home’: Effects of companion animals at the 2020 (home-)workplace on employee wellbeing and performance

The role of companion animals in the lives of employees and the potential benefits for organizations when facilitating employees’ care for their pets has been largely neglected in research to date. However, the new labour market generation of millennials surpasses baby boomers as the largest pet owning generation and will make up for up to 75% of the workforce by 2025. First, companies may allow pets on site. Pets at work may increase employees’ resilience to stress and increase job performance. Second, companies may allow employees to work from home. Pets at home may hinder cited drawbacks of telework, such as the risk for social isolation or too little exercise. We expect beneficial but also potential harmful effects depending on employee, co-worker and pet characteristics. In a first daily diary study, we will test the effects of pets at the (home-)work and the educational environment on employee wellbeing and job performance using self-reports and physiological measures (i.e. surveys, saliva sampling and smart wearables). Our study is a first step in formulating guidelines to effectively implement pets-at-work or telework policies.

Keywords:Pets at work, Employee wellbeing, Employee performance, Telework, Smart wearables

Disciplines:Human resource management, Business management, Animal experimental and comparative psychology not elsewhere classified