A pet-friendly office isn't everyone's dream

Pet-friendly workplaces improve career satisfaction but can pose challenges for those with allergies or a fear of animals

- Reem Khokhar

Fatema Dahodwala, 30, did not grow up around pets, an unfamiliarity which made her nervous around animals. This changed gradually after 2018 when she started work at a pet-friendly communications and marketing office in Mumbai. "Cats and dogs are welcome every day. I was initially fearful, but I've grown surprisingly comfortable over time," says the accounts lead. At first, she kept her distance from Bella, a colleague's pet dog who came to the office regularly. "Slowly, we found a rhythm. Bella and I now share a mutual understanding." Being around Bella and the other office pets helped Dahodwala replace her fear with comfort. She credits this change to her pet-parent colleagues. From slowly introducing new pets to coworkers to keeping their companions away from meeting rooms and key discussions, her pet-parent colleagues strive to keep everyone comfortable in the office. "Their efforts go a long way in creating trust among all of us."