Lots of companies offer employees a gamut of perks, from free food to gym memberships, and even free transportation to and from work in some cases. But some employers—the truly wise ones—understand how much their employees’ pets mean to them, and have found ways to celebrate and support those relationships. While most of these companies let owners bring their dogs to work or offer pet insurance, some have designed some creative perks and policies for pets.
Genentech
Because of federal regulations, employees at the biotech giant can't bring their pets to the office, but that doesn't mean the company isn't supportive of their passion for animals. Genentech provides its employees with discounts for dog daycare, insurance that covers all sorts of pets, even birds and other exotic animal friends. Genetech employees can also join gDogs, the company's club for dog lovers, where they share tips and resources.
See the other perks at Genentech on our 100 Best Companies to Work For list here.
Kimpton
The hotel chain's pet-friendly environment is as old as the company itself, thanks to founder Bill Kimpton's own love of animals. Much like Kimpton's own habit of greeting guests with his collie Chianti in the hotel's earlier days, employees today are allowed to bring their furry friends to work. Some hotels even have a “Director of Pet Relations,” an employee-owned dog posted at the front desk and helps greet guests. To help care for their pets, Kimpton also provides employees with pet insurance, bereavement leave in the case of a pet death, and on-site amenities like water bowls, treats, beds, and toys.
See the other perks at Kimpton on our 100 Best Companies to Work For list here.
Atlantic Health
For the New Jersey-based hospital chain, letting employees bring their pets to work is about more than just having fun. Since 2012, the company has had a pet therapy program named “Soothing Paws” to help patients at the hospital. The program's more than 80 pairs of volunteers and their trained dogs make daily rounds to hospital patients and their visitors. The company has expanded its program to make it available to employees in each medical center, as well as its administrative offices, and has also sponsored pet therapy conferences.
See the other perks at Atlantic Health on our 100 Best Companies to Work For list here.
VMWare
At the Palo Alto, Calif. company, which specializes in virtualization software, dogs are treated much like other visitors as part of VMWare's “open campus” policy. Back in 2011, VMWare's deputy general counsel Angela Padilla noticed an increased in cross-department traffic after she brought in a foster dog. Thee years later, the visiting policy was made official. Now, employees who want to bring their dog to work simply sign an etiquette agreement and get their outfitted with a tag and bandana.
See the other perks at VMWare on our 100 Best Companies to Work For list here.
Salesforce
Salesforce, the San Francisco-based provider of cloud-based software, has some of the most dog-friendly policies around. Puppyforce, the company's official pet policy, lets up to six employees book a special room outfitted with everything dogs and their owners could want for a comfortable day at the office, including soundproofed walls, water bowls, padded cages, dog beds, and cleaning wipes. Additionally, Salesforce also provides employees with pet insurance discounts, dog walking, pet supplies, and vet house calls.
See the other perks at Salesforce on our 100 Best Companies to Work For list here.
Mars
Mars is best known for its candy output, but the company also produces pet food. So it's not surprisingly at all that the Virginia-based company has an incredibly pet-friendly culture. For traveling employees, some offices provide pet feeding and boarding programs, and dozens of dogs can be seen around the office on any given day. The company's annual Halloween costume contests include categories for dogs, and 80% of Mars's volunteer projects are centered around animal causes.
See the other perks at Mars on our 100 Best Companies to Work For list here.
Google (Alphabet)
Google, the godfather of unbelievable office perks, is so committed to supporting its employees' dogs that it's codified right into the company's code of conduct. “Google’s affection for our canine friends is an integral facet of our corporate culture,” it reads. The company allows supervised dogs to come to the office and frequent visitors can even get their own badge. Dog lovers can also join the “Dooglers”—a group of self-professed canine loving Google employees—and visit a dog-themed cafe on campus inspired by Yoshka, a Leonburger owned by Google employee #8 Urs Hölzle and the company's first dog.
See the other perks at Google (Alphabet) on our 100 Best Companies to Work For list here.
Build-A-Bear Workshop
The Missouri company might be named after a bear, but it couldn't be friendlier to another kind of favorite furry companion: dogs. In order to bring their dog to work, employees sign a “Doggy On-Boarding” agreement, which covers etiquette rules. The company's amazing dog perks include puppy parties to celebrate dog birthdays, treats, and a canine concierge service that whisks the dogs off to a spa day with grooming and day camp.
See the other perks at Kimpton on our 100 Best Companies to Work For list here.
Autodesk
Autodesk, the maker of popular design software used by engineers and architects, makes sure its dog-loving employees can enjoy their pets at work, while also making sure those with allergies or other concerns feel safe as well. The company's pet policy includes provisions to ensure everyone at the office is happy even with as many as 25 dogs are hanging around. The company also provides pet insurance discounts, which cover dogs, cats, birds, ferrets, and more.
See the other perks at Autodesk on our 100 Best Companies to Work For list here.
GoDaddy
At GoDaddy, dogs are part of the company's resources to help its employees care for their mental health. The well known web domains and hosting service provides employees with free on-site appointments with psychologists, and several of them have adopted dogs as assistants. These canine companions help reduce stress and anxiety, and are treated as part of the company. They even get their own GoDaddy badges!
See the other perks at GoDaddy on our 100 Best Companies to Work For list here.
Workday
Workday, the Pleasanton, Calif.-based maker of finance and human resources software, knows all about taking great care of employees. Turtle, an adorable sombrero-loving dog owned by an employee named Jennifer, runs around the office to "keep the mood light" and make employees smile, as Workday says. Employees at the company's Pleasanton, Salt Lake City, and Victoria, Canada offices are welcome to bring their dogs to work, and it hosts an annual Bring Your Dog to Workday party at its headquarters. Other pet-friendly company policies include financial assistance for pet adoptions.
See the other perks at Workday on our 100 Best Companies to Work For list here.
Activision Blizzard
At the company's Irvine, Calif. office, roughly 397 dogs regularly come to work with their owners. After registering their dog with office management, the gaming company's employees can pick from two tags, "Horde" and "Alliance"—two key political factions in the company's blockbuster hit video game World of Warcraft. During the annual "Pet Parents Day," the company brings in pet insurance providers and local vets to provide free health screenings, insurance quotes, and treats for both pets and their owners. And while Activision Blizzard's official bereavement policy is currently only for human family members, the company's been known to make exception for furry friends as well.
See the other perks at Activision Blizzard on our 100 Best Companies to Work For list here.
Check out the full list of Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work for at fortune.com/best-companies, where you’ll find dozens of job searching tips and secrets from their recruiters on how to get hired.
The story has been updated with the correct name of the owner of Turtle, Workday's dog, and to clarify that the company also provides finance software.
