Mars Inc. reveals: 53% would change jobs

In a new study, Mars shows that pet-friendly workplaces are no longer just a ‘nice-to-have’ for Europeans, but an expectation: more than half (55%) would consider changing jobs if it meant they could bring their pets to work.

The ‘Pet-Friendly Advantage (PFA) 2026 Workplace Report’ surveyed more than 16,000 employees across 16 European countries and revealed that pet-friendly policies are an effective tool for promoting workplace wellbeing, corporate culture and staff retention.

Data from the job platform Indeed shows that interest in dog-friendly policies is growing rapidly: in the UK, job adverts mentioning ‘dog-friendly’ have increased fourteenfold since 2019. Given that 81% of employees surveyed say that pets create a more relaxed atmosphere in the workplace, it is no surprise that the demand for pet-friendly workplaces rivals – and in some cases even surpasses – traditional employer benefits.

More than a third (37%) of employees surveyed prefer pet-friendly policies to personal benefits such as staff discounts, cycle-to-work schemes, free snacks or social events after work. A similar proportion (35%) even rate pet-friendly policies higher than extended social benefits such as parental leave and private health insurance.

Generation Z and Millennials are driving this shift in ‘employee benefits’ – 41 per cent of 18- to 24-year-olds actively look for pet-friendly policies when job hunting, which is almost twice as many as among the over-55s (24%). And 42% prioritise these over extended personal benefits, compared with 25% of those aged over 55. Pet-friendly policies are increasingly establishing themselves as an indispensable benefit for retaining the up-and-coming talent of today and tomorrow.

Pet policies signal that a company cares about its staff – yet employees find it difficult to ascertain whether such schemes even exist

There are strong economic arguments for employers to invest in pet-friendly workplaces, particularly as more and more companies are mandating a return to the office (RTO), which makes pet care a greater challenge for pet owners. Half (50 per cent) of European employees believe that companies with pet-friendly policies better support their staff during the transition back to office work, and a third (33 per cent) state that a formal, well-implemented ‘pets in the office’ policy signals that the company cares about its employees’ wellbeing.

Despite these tangible benefits, there is a significant information gap between the desire for pet-friendly policies and employees’ knowledge of where to find them. Half of all employees (55%) do not know where to find information on pet-friendly policies when looking for a job.

A further third (33%) state that, whilst their company does have pet-friendly policies, it does not promote them in job adverts. This represents a clear competitive advantage for companies that communicate their policies transparently in order to stand out from the crowd during the recruitment process.

The full ‘Pet-Friendly Advantage (PFA) 2026 Workplace Report’ is available here.