Fi surveyed over 1,000 dog owners nationwide about back-to-the-office

The Great Resignation, The Great Reshuffling, no matter what you call it, the importance of employee retention and hiring is at an all-time high. With a lot of companies considering back-to-the office plans, Fi decided to survey America’s dog owners to see how much of a role our furry friends play in their work-related decision making. It turns out, that role is pretty big. Which isn’t that surprising because look at these faces:

Maude in the office
Best office buddies‌ ‌

Dogs in the Office Make You a More Competitive Employer

According to the World Animal Foundation, 66% of U.S. households own a pet, so these dog owners’ responses represent a notable part of employees.

Hiring managers, you should tune in for this next part:
71% of U.S. dog owners would be likely to take a remote job over an in-person one to be able to effectively look after their dog.

  • 71% of U.S. dog owners would be likely to take a remote job over an in-person one to be able to effectively look after their dog.
  • Nearly one-third of dog owners would consider changing their job if they were not allowed to bring their dog to the office.
  • 44% of pet parents would not accept a new role if they did not allow dogs in the office.
Dog parents want dogs in the office
  • On the flip side, three out four respondents stated that they would be more attracted to a role that allowed dogs in the office.
  • On average, respondents said if their employer allowed them to bring their dog to their workspace, they would do it three times a week.
  • When respondents were asked to select the three most important aspects when choosing a job, nearly 40% more respondents selected dogs allowed in the office over unlimited vacation.
  • Over three in five dog owners agree that they are anxious about leaving their dog at home when they go back to the office.
3 in 5 dog owners are anxious about leaving their dog at home when they go back to the office

Gen Z vs. Millennials vs. Baby Boomers: A Generational Divide on Dog Culture

Respondents of all generations expressed positive feelings toward dogs in the office. That being said, those from the younger generations appear to feel stronger about the topic and more likely to think of it as a dealbreaker.

Gen Z = ages 18-24

Millennials = 25-39

Boomers = 55-74

  • Out of the dog owners surveyed, 75% of Gen Z and 70% of Millennials said that they are anxious about leaving their dog at home when they go back to the office as compared to 36% of Baby Boomers.
Gen Z and Millennials are anxious about leaving their dogs at home to go to the office

In practice, it looks like dog owners dream of bringing their pets to the office more than they actually get to do so:

  • Approximately half of Gen Z and Millennials have brought their dog to the office as compared to one-third of Baby Boomers.
  • When choosing the top qualities they look for in a new job, nearly 50% of Gen Z respondents selected dogs in the office as compared to 35% of Millennials and 18% of Baby Boomers.
50% of Gen Z vs. 35% of Millennials vs. 18% of Baby Boomers selected dogs in the office as a top quality they look for in a new job
  • Four in five Gen Z respondents, three in four Millennials, and over half of Baby Boomers would be more attracted to a role that allowed dogs in the office.

This survey was conducted via Censuswide with a sample of 1,005 respondents U.S. dog owners 18+ who have either already returned to their physical workplace or will do so at some point in 2022.

Fi builds cutting-edge technology to elevate the relationship between millions of dog parents and their dogs. Find out more at https://tryfi.com/.