Office trends are forever changing, but one that has stayed in the loop for a while includes the number of companies opening their doors to pets. Job site giants like Careerbuilder, Monster, and more have been posting listings with benefits that include “pet friendly.”

Some sites even include lists of the top pet-friendly companies, as well as job opportunities, as a way to attract more job-seekers.

Pet Friendly Companies

In addition to the high percentages of pet-related businesses, giant companies like Amazon, Google, Ben & Jerry’s, Etsy, and others all allow employees to bring their pets to work.

But despite this growing trend, this can also bring a number of legal and health risks to the table. Here is a list of pros and cons of pet friendly offices.

Pros of Pet Friendly Offices

1. Reduces stresses and helps with relaxation

Statistics have shown that overall employee satisfaction and morale have increased after companies opened their doors to pets. They are also a point of common interest that can promote teamwork and communication – being that they are great ice breakers.

2. Financial benefit

Every pet parent knows that doggie daycare and dog walking services can be expensive, especially on a daily basis. Some just have no choice if they commute long distances or work long hours. But bringing their pet to work can eliminate a lot of these stresses, skipping the rush to get home from work or paying for someone to walk your dog.

3. Boosts Customer Perception

Many customers will react positively when seeing a pet in the office or when they are allowed the chance to interact with the pet; it can decrease their stress and improve their experience with the business. Having pets in the office can also improve the company’s image, giving it an innovative and progressive atmosphere.

4. Recruiting Tool

It’s been proven that pet friendly companies have a higher chance of recruiting and retaining employees long-term than those that are not. These employees also tend to work longer hours and have fewer absences because they don’t have to worry about rushing home to walk the dog or staying home to care for a sick pet.

After reading these pros, making the office pet friendly can really like a good idea. But as with every decision and trend, there are consequences. Making the office pet friendly is certainly not for every business, such as those operating machinery or in a child daycare for example. Make sure to check out this list of the cons before allowing employees to bring in their furry friends.

Cons of Pet Friendly Offices

1. Pets are a Distraction

While some employees may work longer hours and be more productive with pets, others won’t. Pets can be a distraction for both the owner and neighboring coworkers by barking, whining, and needing frequent walks. They can also attract others who want to interact and play with the pet, when they should be working instead.

2. Allergies and Phobias

The number of people with allergies to pet hair and dander will never improve. While some are willing to deal with the sniffles, others may battle severe reactions and even death when exposed. Some employees may have developed phobias of being around certain types of animals due to past experiences. To combat this issue, some offices are able to designate pet-free zones for those in these situations.

3. Damage to Company Property

As all pet parents are aware, pets can destroy anything, especially shoes. If pets are brought to the office, accidents will happen. Chewing the furniture, carpet, or peeing inside are bound to happen at some point. It’s a risk that all companies face the minute they say “yes” to allowing pets.

4. Legal and Insurance Issues

Nobody will know the pet better than the owners, but as they are animals, their behaviors can be unpredictable. An office environment will be foreign to any animal; therefore, all pets will have different reactions. Different reactions can include fear and being nervous, excitement, and even aggression.

In addition to their behaviors, dogs can trip and even bite coworkers, service providers, other pets, and even customers on company property. This opens the door to a number of insurance and legal issues. Before allowing any pets in the office, discuss all possibilities with an attorney as well as your insurance company to best prepare for the worst situations.

Having a Pet Policy

Having a pet-friendly office environment is a great way to retain employees long-term, but there are drawbacks that all companies will face. Thus, the need to have a pet policy is crucial. This should include what types of pets are allowed, stating the frequency and/or which days pets are allowed, how they are to be contained, and placing an animal on probation (or permanently banning them) for destruction or showing aggression.

Becoming Pet Friendly

Many companies may own the building in which they operate, but others may lease from an association. Whether or not that association allows pets is up to them, so the employer may have no say in whether to allow pets or not. If having a pet friendly office is something you believe in, make sure to discuss this with the building manage before signing any lease. Otherwise, you may need to look into owning the property instead.

Help with Moving

Looking to move to a pet friendly building? Allow Chicago Office Movers to help. Our union professionals are each trained, experienced, background-checked, uniformed, and insured to safely relocate your business. Whether moving across town or across the country, our full-service moving company will work with you - regardless of what you need moved – to ensure that everything arrives to your new location safely and on-time.

Chicago Office Movers also has the resources to move a number of specialty items, including industrial equipment, desks, office furniture, lab equipment, and servers.

Free Estimate

For a free estimate on your next commercial move, contact Chicago Office Movers at 312-244-2246.

Access to a high-quality talent pool, greater workspace, and company expansion are among the top reasons businesses relocate. Hiring professional assistance with this major event offers to relieve many of the stresses associated with a company relocation. Preparing staff for the imminent transition, however, falls upon the shoulders of the business owners.

How to Prepare Your Employees for an Office Relocation

1. Communicate

The decision to relocate, whether to a building across the street or to one out of town, affects employees significantly. Workers will be obligated to consider changes to their commute and re-evaluate childcare situations. Plus, if the new office is significantly further away, your employees will have to deliberate whether or not to relocate. The routine of employees’ everyday lives will be disrupted, making it important to relay the news with sensitivity.

Respecting your employees’ time and contributions means giving them appropriate notice of the relocation. Use an empathetic approach to notify your employees well in advance—at least two to six months—of the move. Loyal workers will be motivated to change gears to better suit the new work arrangements.

Provide a concrete moving date, the new business location and how employees can best prepare for the new office. In addition, give all workers the new office address, phone number, parking amenities and public transportation options.

Keep all employees regularly updated on the move. Frequently sending emails and placing signs regarding the office move helps ensure workers stay in the know. Employees tend to lose trust in the company or experience resentment when managers fail to provide adequate information about the relocation process. Keep communication lines open, making yourself available to answer emails or discuss the move in group meetings.

2. Boost Morale

Along with communicating the relocation plan, give your employees a good reason for the move. Will the new location allow the company to reach a larger number of customers? Can the employees expect better access to technology and other workplace infrastructure improvements?

Involving those who strive every day to deliver optimum service offers a boost in morale, so that they can continue giving their best even in the new office environment. Ask workers for input on the new office layout and ways their new workspaces can help them achieve their finest work. Employees who feel included tend to demonstrate positive feelings toward the company.

Business owners might create transition teams, assigning groups of employees to take charge of certain aspects of the move. Involvement gives workers the opportunity to ask questions, address concerns, and be an integral part of this important milestone in the company’s history.

3. Reorganize

Starting fresh in a new town, city or state provides ample opportunity to declutter and reorganize. Prepping for a new office is the apt time to discard unnecessary paperwork and files. Instruct your employees to pack essential files, paperwork and any small equipment. Provide sturdy packing boxes, labels and plenty of shipping tape to streamline the process.

4. Assign Teams

Relocating an office requires the effort and abilities of everyone in the company. Delegate important tasks to employees to help make the transition as smooth as possible.

For instance, establish a committee to be responsible for double checking the lease dates of the new building. This team should also ensure the utilities (gas, water and electricity) as well as janitorial services and security systems are set up to operate upon the arrival date. This committee could also be given the task of obtaining keys to the new building and receiving necessary parking details.

A second liaison may be instructed to get ahold of the map to the new building. Having employees who are familiar with the new layout is extremely beneficial on moving day. These workers can instruct moving personnel where to place office furniture, including desks, shelving, equipment and other property. If your office features specialized equipment, permission from the vendor may need to be acquired. This second committee can request and obtain necessary authorizations.

5. Work with a Mover

You may even wish to delegate to a third committee the job of hiring a professional moving company. This third team could be tasked with the additional responsibility of bringing on furniture installers, design firms and necessary contractors to ensure an easeful transition.

The committee should seek a professional office mover who is experienced in office relocations and offers valuation coverage. This group of employees can also be in charge of getting moving quotes and determining whether or not the mover offers fixed rates.

Shifting offices is a team effort. Ensuring success starts and ends with a constant flow of communication among employees and between business owners and their staff. Upon the move, a company’s culture has plentiful chances to reinvigorate. While relocating an office is a taxing burden, the results are well worth the financial investment, time, and energy.

Chicago Office Movers

If you plan to hire or designate staff to handle hiring an office mover, turn to Chicago Office Movers. As a professional office moving company with licensed and union movers, Chicago Office Movers takes the hassle out of moving day.

Chicago Office Movers are experts in office moves of all sizes. Our numerous awards, years of experience, and five-star reviews are validation of our professionalism and skill. Area customers include Northwestern University and Alcatel Lucent, among many other small, large and well-established businesses.

Included in Chicago Office Movers’ comprehensive list of services are paperwork storage, the option for short- or long-term storage, availability to move locally, long distance, or internationally and insurance contracts. Our professional movers have the manpower and equipment to shift all types of office goods, such as IT systems, lab equipment, electronics and cubicles. We also handle packing and unpacking, alleviating business owners of this time-consuming task.

At Chicago Office Movers, we take pride in our professional team of movers, years of experience, and essential equipment.

Free Estimate

For invaluable office relocation advice and a free estimate, contact Chicago Office Movers at 312-244-2246.

Especially for businesses that serve customers at their location, known as local businesses, their location can have a significant impact on their profitability. But unless you have a home office, buying or leasing a location is necessary. While each company will need to comply with different requirements, it’s important to review the needs of your business when choosing the location and type of space you will be inhabiting.

The following are examples in which a location would be necessary for your business:

• Your vendors are nearby
• It’s known and easily accessible for the products and services you’re selling
• You are in close proximity to your target audience
• There are other businesses nearby that complement your business (such as a pet store located next to a dog shelter)
• Real estate or leasing rates are affordable in the area
• It’s a growing and/or prospering area that offers opportunities for your business to grow

Tips for Choosing a Location

• Research all options. In addition to researching the area, look into the demographics and economics, making sure that the area would be able to support your business.
• Research other businesses in the area. It’s important to know the location of all competition as well as businesses that complement yours.
• Research local councils. Get to the know the area by speaking with the local members, asking about planned development, rates, business activity, and zoning.
• Review the current and future needs of your business. Make sure your marketing plan is updated and your future location is aligned with your business goals and needs.

Types of Business Locations

Each business is limited to specific layouts of potential spaces. In other words, a retail store should not be looking at offices or warehouses for their next location. When researching your next commercial space, it should support your business’ operations and needs.

You should be able to look around and picture your assets in the potential new space, giving you a good idea if you have found your next location.

The types of business locations include:

• Retail stores
• Shared commercial office suites
• Temporary spaces, or pop-up businesses
• Warehouse, manufacturing plant, or storage space
• Standalone office space

Steps Included in Choosing the Business Location

1. Choose your next location
2. Request the purchase documents/lease
3. Review the documents with a real estate attorney
4. Negotiate the price
5. Sign the purchase documents/lease
6. Work with a professional moving company to start the relocation process

When choosing a location, it’s important to find one that will meet the financial needs of your business, allowing it to grow. Consider seeking legal and/or financial advice regarding the area before signing any documents and to avoid any mistakes that you may regret later.

Relocating Your Business

If you are in need of a larger space or you are no longer able to reach your target audience, it’s important to find a new space that will solve this issue. Keep in mind that businesses change over time; so what may have been a good fit for you before may not be so accommodating now.

Make sure to review the current situation of the company and choose a space that accommodates your needs and allows you to expand without having to relocate again in the near future.

The needs for business relocation:

• Client and customer convenience: If you own a retail store that is hidden or not easily found by local customers, this can be a huge problem. You’ll want to have a location that is easily accessible, allows customers to conveniently enter and exit, and even show off your products if you have a storefront window.
• Lower business costs: If recent changes to property taxes or the price of your lease increased substantially, moving your business to a more affordable location can be the best option. This will allow you to cut costs and possibly even increase profits.
• You need more space: It can be exciting to search for a bigger space after your expanding your company. But in any case, if you are limited by your current space, such as not having enough parking spots, desks, or space available for equipment, you will need to look for a larger space.

Important tip: As with any move, you must notify the government the change in your address and to forward any mail from your old address to your new mailbox.

Business Moving Professionals

After you have chosen your new location and signed the purchase or leasing documents, you’re ready to work with a moving company that can relocate the business. When looking finding one that can handle all aspects of the process would be ideal so you can focus on business tasks.

At Chicago Office Movers, we specialize in business moves. Our professionals ensure to handle the entire process, from planning to installing furniture at your new location. We will work with you to determine what you need, provide the moving supplies and manpower to safely relocate all items and equipment.

Whether you are looking to move computers, inventory, furniture, or other pieces of equipment, we make use of professional resources in order to keep the service efficient and minimize downtime. After the move, we will ensure that everything is installed properly in the right places and that you are satisfied with your new location.

Free Estimate

For more information regarding our business relocation services or for a free estimate, give Chicago Office Movers a call at 312-244-2246 or fill out a contact form. We look forward to working with you soon!