The Benefits of a Pet Friendly Meeting Room

Seeing a cute cat or dog can make anyone smile. Having one in the office whilst you work can be a productivity booster and stress reliever for many.

The Growing Trend of Pet Friendly Workspaces

A survey conducted 2023 by The Kennel Club found that 52% of people in Britain would like to bring their dog to work. There’s been a recent increase in pets joining their owners at their workplace. This is usually dogs, but other animals like cats and birds find their way next to their owner’s desk too. People can benefit in many ways from having a pet nearby as they work.

Benefits of a Pet Friendly Meeting Room

Reduce work stress

Some people going through a tough time get themselves an emotional support animal to help them feel better. Pets in the office can work in the same way. They can help to decrease cortisol which is a hormone related to stress. Everyone becomes stressed at work at least every once in a while. Turning our focus to an office pet for five minutes can alleviate some of that built-up worry

Increase productivity

Stressful thoughts about work can sometimes distract someone from getting on with the day ahead. Having an office pet can lower stress levels and therefore increase motivation. Short breaks are also important to stop someone from burning out. Briefly refocusing your attention to the office animal can allow your mind to recharge

Social interaction and collaboration

Having an animal in your meeting room gives people something to talk about and therefore creates conversation. It’s a good icebreaker for attendees who aren’t familiar with each other. As they discuss things like if they have a cat at home, they can learn more about each other. Once the ice is broken, it’s easier to collaborate and work on projects together

Higher job satisfaction

Most people love animals, so coming to work and seeing one there can be a great start to the day. If you’re trying to make a good impression to clients, having an office pet can help massively

How You Can Create a Pet Friendly Meeting Room

You’ll need to start by checking if the building that your meeting room is in allows pets. If the answer is yes, then this is a good sign. Next, put together a detailed pet policy. This will work to protect your company. It should cover clear guidelines for any animals bought into the meeting room. It could state which animals aren’t allowed or how old they must be. This could also include an emergency plan with information like contact details of the closest veterinarian.

You then need to decide where any animals can and can’t go. Some people are allergic or don’t like animals so this is important. Having clear signage in your meeting room and building can be helpful. You may also want to include a rota of when pets will be in your meeting room. This makes it clear to those who don’t want to encounter them. This way, you’re taking steps to make sure your employees feel comfortable at work.

If there’re any hazards in areas where animals are allowed to go, these need to be removed or hidden. This could include wires, batteries and cleaning products that contain chemicals. In the areas where animals can go, you’ll need to include all their essentials. A bed, water bowl and toys can make an animal feel comfortable.

You also need to check you have the correct insurance in case problems occur. Public liability insurance protects businesses against the cost of claims made by the public for injuries that happen on your premises. For example, if a cat scratched a visitor in your meeting room, this insurance would be helpful for you.

How Spacepool Can Accommodate Your Pets

When using our website to search for an office space, you can use our filtering tool for anything specific. One of these options is ‘pet friendly’. You’ll find options available all around the country so you can search until you find something which suits you.

Discover Pet Friendly Meeting Rooms with Spacepool

At Spacepool, we have a wide range of meeting rooms to discover on our website and many of these are pet friendly locations. They each come in different sizes with a range of facilities, amenities and layouts. Impress your clients and attendees today with a meeting room which is perfect for your business.