Demand for dog-friendly offices grow

Dogs are now part of almost every second household in Hungary, with more people than ever wanting to bring pets with them to work as well. According to Mars, one of the leading confectionary, food and petfood manufacturers of the world, bringing our dogs to work is not only beneficial for pets, but their owners and business too. On August 26th, World Dog Day, dedicated to the celebration of humans’ bond to their furry friends, Mars has collected the key benefits of implementing dog-friendly offices and invites other companies to join in their footsteps as well.

A recent survey conducted by OnePoll in partnership with Banfield Pet Hospital (part of the Mars company) has revealed that half of the executives who joined the survey said they are planning to allow pets in the workplace and 59% said they’ll allow more flexibility for workers who want to stay remote with their pets. Furthermore, according to the survey, 71% of Z generation respondents and 48% of millennials have or are planning to request their employer implement a pet-friendly policy.

Mars, the owner of popular dog food brands such as Pedigree and Cesar has been at the forefront of implementing dog-friendly offices for over a decade now. With the pandemic bringing a steady increase in the number of dog adoptions, the company now aims to lead a trend of welcoming pets into offices, not only for the benefit of dogs but also because of the wellbeing of associates and the benefits this brings to the organisations as well.

Why should we welcome dogs into offices?

Increased socializing among associates when around pets; closer communities, increased productivity, and generally less stress are only some of the clear benefits seen after the implementation of pet-friendly offices that pet-friendly companies could report.

“Pet-friendly offices have been an integral part of our culture for over a decade now, and we believe that this is what keeps our associates happy while working with us. Having dogs in our offices bring several benefits: dogs function as icebreakers among colleagues, allow our associates to interact more freely with each other, and bring a positive atmosphere in which people can focus on their work instead of worrying about their dogs left at home. This, and the well-being of pets is why we are encouraging other companies to join us in creating pet-friendly workplaces.” – says Daniela Hlavackova, Demand Director of Mars CE.

What does a modern pet-friendly office look like?

The implementation of dog-friendly offices requires some basic considerations of employee health, allergies, and legal questions, as well as some basic needs of pets that need to be addressed.

“Having a chance to bring pets to the office is a great benefit highly appreciated by our associates. Pets support interaction among associates, their presence can relieve stress and as well encourage associates to go for short walks during their office hours, which can have a great impact on their health and wellbeing. That is why in Mars offices, the presence of dogs is very welcome, but it also goes hand in hand with the mutual consideration of our associates’ needs. Thanks to our long-term experience in this area, we have managed to create effective workplace rules that allow our associates and pets to live in symbiosis,” says Daria Maslovskaya, People and Organization Director of Mars for Central Europe.

In general, a modern dog-friendly office should be free of any objects that would be inappropriate for a dog. It should also include dedicated areas for dogs to play and ideally should be close to a park or a green area where owners could take their dogs for a break. New dogs should be introduced to the office gradually, and communication should also be key with other colleagues, to ensure that everyone feels comfortable. These are only some of the main points to consider, but through its Better Cities for Pets program Mars also offers free online resources for individuals, companies, offices, restaurants, and even airports and cities on how to become more pet-friendly. The online tools and guidebooks include some great tips, from how to welcome a newly adopted pet into our home, to the basic steps of transitioning to a pet-friendly office.

“When I first brought my vizsla, Leó to work with me, I was both relieved that he is going to spend his day with me, but also a bit worried about how he might adjust to the office routine. Now I can safely say that he has won the hearts of all my colleagues and has become a regular guest in our Budapest office – I can’t imagine coming to work without him”- concludes Szilvia Nérey, Office and Management Team coordinator at the Mars Budapest office, the owner of Leó.

New trends in the courier market

The number of orders for large products that require special logistics solutions has significantly increased, according to DoDo’s trend report.

In order to meet customer demand, DODO, a provider of smart logistics solutions, is further expanding its e-commerce delivery portfolio besides grocery and hot-meal delivery. Large and overweight sports equipment ordered online from Hervis stores in Hungary can now be delivered the same day, thanks to DODO's new “two-man” logistics service.

The digitalization of the retail sector will continue to grow in the coming years, stimulating further development of transport services. Even for oversized and heavy goods, there is a growing consumer demand for same-day delivery of products ordered online. Consumers are increasingly buying online so-called "large white goods" such as refrigerators, washing machines, other large appliances for the home, or large sports equipment such as treadmills, bicycles, ski equipment, and exercise machines. The growth of e-commerce is accompanied by a rise in customer expectations of the quality of the services that accompany it, the most important of which is the speed of delivery.

84% of customers choose an online shop offering faster delivery

According to Perfect Crowd's survey in the Czech Republic, the speed of delivery is a decisive factor for shoppers when choosing between online stores with products at similar prices. 84% of consumers choose the online store offering faster delivery, and the speed of delivery also encourages 90% of respondents to buy again. In contrast, 61% of respondents said that they would rather stop shopping online and not return to the online store after seeing a long delivery time. Building on this consumer trend, DODO, a provider of smart logistics services, has introduced its "two-man" delivery solution to ensure fast, reliable, and accurate home delivery. The same-day delivery service, which requires two couriers to move heavy goods, was first launched in the Czech Republic, primarily for furniture and large electronic equipment, and is now being used in Hungary for deliveries of heavy sports equipment ordered online from Hervis sports stores, for example.

With the new "two-man" delivery service, DODO aims to bring its high-quality smart logistics solutions to areas of e-commerce where traditional delivery services are not sufficient. The company has set a new industry standard in the food and hot-meal delivery segment, working with renowned partners in Hungary such as KFC, Alza.hu, SPAR and ROSSMANN.

"I see the smart logistics of the future in "two-man" delivery solutions. Retailers who want to succeed in the ever-faster e-commerce segment will have to adapt to consumer demands. We have already achieved outstanding results in several segments of logistics, we have significantly changed market norms and we are now opening a new chapter in the delivery of sporting goods, furniture, and large electronics. We have also launched our 'two-man' same-day delivery service in Hungary, which we are looking to roll out to other countries in the European market" said Peter Menky, Chief Commercial Officer of DODO.

"Delivery at a specific hour on the day of the order is a service that customers have quickly become accustomed to with food deliveries. With the spectacular growth of e-commerce, customers now want to receive large items ordered online as soon as possible. Even at the most popular furniture chains, customers sometimes have to wait several days for the ordered item, and even then, they have to pay a considerable surcharge for the delivery of overweight items. DODO has always been a trendsetter with its smart logistics solutions, and now we want to change the market with fast, accurate and convenient delivery of oversized parcels", added Károly Sáfár, DODO's representative in Hungary.

Starbucks Poetry Contest Is Back!

Starbucks, operated in Hungary by AmRest, is announcing the popular Kávéköltők literary competition to provide emerging talents with the opportunity to present their poems in front of a jury of well-known poets and the public. Cafes have always been important spaces of community life where famous literary works were born. This is why this year the organizers are looking for entries on the topic of "community". The coffee chain will hold the finals of the competition on September 20, on the Day of Culture.

"It is a great pleasure for us to organize the Starbucks Coffee Poets literary competition for the fourth time. Based on the experience and feedback of the past years, we see that there is a great demand for this kind of opportunity, where talents can share their creations with a wider audience, in addition to receiving professional feedback on their work. Every year, we are amazed by the amount of talent and creativity that we meet thanks to the entries, and we eagerly await this year's poems as well," says Kerek Fanni, the Hungarian brand manager of Starbucks.

This year Starbucks partners with the Association of Young WritersMembers of the jury will be Lili Hanna Seres from the association, István Pion, Hungarian poet, slammer, journalist, editor, and Bence Csalár, internationally recognized fashion journalist and creative specialist. The winner of the competition will be selected from among 5 finalists at an event on September 20, the Day of Culture, where the authors will also present their works in person. In addition to professional recognition, the finalists will be given a valuable gift package courtesy of Starbucks and the Association of Young Writers, and the winner will also be able to participate in the association's literary camp next year. The texts and video presentations of the best poems will also appear on Starbucks' online platforms.

"The initiative of Starbucks Kávéköltók, which embraces emerging poets and provides them with the opportunity to introduce themselves to the public, is exemplary. This collaboration is a great pleasure for us, and we are excited to get to know this year's finalists and their works. We hope that this competition will make even more young people fall in love with poetry," says Viktor Pataki, co-chairman of the Young Irish Association.