Bissell ranked 39th among most dog-friendly workplaces

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Courtesy Rover

Seattle-based Rover released a nationwide report noting Grand Rapids-based Bissell Homecare as the 39th most dog-friendly work culture, during a year where 77% of Americans placed more importance on working for a dog-friendly company.

Bissell was given an overall score of 4.25 out of 5 stars, with the company allowing dogs in the office, a pet stipend and other amenities.

Rover polled nearly 90 dog-friendly companies in the U.S. for its 2021 Best Dog-Friendly Companies proprietary ranking. Companies were awarded points based on key metrics such as dog-centric benefits including paid time off for new pet parents and pet bereavement, financial stipend for pet health insurance, adopting a pet, and pet care services.

Additional data also was collected from 1,000 U.S. pet owners and/or employees who work for a dog-friendly company. The survey was conducted via Pollfish.

Despite pandemic-related challenges to workplace environments, every business listed and surveyed either continued or enhanced its dog-friendly benefits. 

Amazon ranked as the No. 1 most dog-friendly company, at a time when 64% of pet parents feel companies who enact a dog-friendly culture and perks care more about their employees.

“Amazon has been dog-friendly since day one,” said Amazon’s “Woof Pack” Manager Jennifer Skipper. “Our dogs are a special part of Amazon’s peculiar culture and a mechanism for connection. We’ve found that dogs in the office actually contribute to our collaborative company culture. We are proud of this Amazon tradition and continue to welcome more dogs to our pack every year.”

Ninety-five percent of U.S.-based companies surveyed said not only are they seeing a return on their investments, but also believe enacting a pet-friendly culture helped their hiring and recruiting efforts.

Another 93% of businesses reported improvement in company morale and noted increased employee engagement, interaction and better communication among team members, as 100% believe their employees consider their pets as family members.

Last year marked an unprecedented surge in pet adoptions amid the pandemic, as 67% of pet owners adopted a dog within the last year. 

With dog owners now making up even more of the U.S. workforce, the survey found pets’ well-being influenced employee happiness at home and at work. More than half of U.S. dog owners would be willing to negotiate their salaries to have dog-friendly benefits such as stipend for pet insurance, free dog walking or time off for pet bereavement, while 80% said working alongside their pet increased their overall mental health and well-being.

“There’s a rising sentiment in American society that dogs are, in fact, a part of our nuclear families — they aren’t just pets,” said Rover’s Head of People and Culture Jovana Teodorovic. “The pandemic only accelerated and strengthened those feelings. It’s abundantly clear that pet-friendly benefits are not only appreciated by employees, but they’re actually creating a more productive workforce and competitive hiring process. While some businesses may move to remote work, many others will transition back to the office or into a hybrid workplace plan. We anticipate more than ever that they’ll consider where and how pets fit into the equation.”

The full list of the best dog-friendly companies is online.

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