City firms are allowing workers to bring in their dogs as they entice employees back into the office.
Other perks offered to staff who work from home include free artisan coffee, cookies and hair straighteners in bathrooms.
Some are even allowed to hang their own art as buildings “become a hub for somebody’s day” instead of just a workplace, according to commercial lawyers Hamlins based in Kingsway near The Strand.
John Leasure, its real estate partner, said running clubs with a coach, state-of-the-art bike racks and discount deals for shops or restaurants in the office are among pushes to reduce remote working.
Since the pandemic, some 3.2million UK households got a pet.
It is understood London companies are mandating only small to medium dogs weighing under 10kg like Cockapoos and Dachshunds can be brought in. However, Great Danes, large Labradors and Boxers over 25kg would be banned.
This week a study by the British Chambers of Commerce suggested that one in ten businesses had seen staff quit their jobs because of bosses’ refusal to meet WFH demands.
Mr Leasure said: “Working from home or hybrid working is seen as one of the biggest benefits employees can have so getting workers back into the office is proving difficult.
“As a result, we are seeing a lot more effort being put into building facilities and estate amenities to try to entice staff to spend time at the office.
“One common theme being seen more frequently is employees allowing staff to bring their dogs into the office.
“I’ve dealt with various management agreements or serviced office arrangements where the tenants are insisting dogs can come into the office.
“This then starts a whole other field of discussion around which breeds are ’office friendly’, weight or size restrictions and detailed discussions surrounding dog-friendly routes through the building.
“There can often be wide ranging discussions around specific language regarding dogs in leases and service agreements for managed offices. There can be a reluctance to ‘ban’ specific breeds to avoid any potential unfair generalisation twinned with an awareness of dog owners often strong feelings about their pets and their temperaments.
“This means that size and weight limits are more often used as a means to control the type of dogs allowed, for example mandating small dogs only or no “medium/large” dogs, or a weight threshold, commonly 10kg and under, but sometimes as large as 25kg.”
Alongside these demands, there is a growing trend of businesses downsizing space but offering improved facilities, he explained.
Mr Leasure added: “Employers are working hard to make the office a destination of choice, rather than just a place to work.
“In an effort to create a sense of community and belonging, we are seeing employers introducing running clubs to bake sales and Christmas markets.
“Offices are now being designed to become a hub for somebody’s day, rather than just a job in an office so people are more incentivised to come in.”
