Rover.com is an American company that runs its operations online.
It offers a platform where buyers and sellers can meet with regard to pet services such as dog walking, pet sitting, dog boarding, etc.
Rover employees or agents undergo an application process and criminal clearance check before being able to register with the company.
This ensures that all employees are knowledgeable, experienced, and passionate about pet care.
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Pros of Being a Rover Employee
As with any company, there are several benefits associated with working for this specific company, which recruits enjoy.
Here are seven of the top advantages of working for Rover.
1. Enjoy Your Passion
The number one benefit of working with or for Rover is that those individuals who have a passion for animals will be able to spend more time taking care of animals and enjoying their company.
Apart from this, no two days will be the same.
You may have regular pets that you sit for or you may have a few new ones each month.
There are several options, such as dog walking or dog boarding.
If you are unable to house a pet at your home due to rules and regulations forbidding tenants to have pets, you can still enjoy the company of animals through this employment.
2. The Pay
The salary is actually a double-edged sword.
You will have the ability to earn up to $1,000 a month through dog walking, and even more, if you are able to board a pet at your home.
As a student who only wants to work part-time, or a senior citizen hoping to supplement their income, this is a great opportunity, and quite lucrative with respect to what you can earn in relation to what you are doing.
In addition to the pay, there is the flexibility of the service, which allows you to put in shifts according to your schedule as well as take opportunities for work that is close to the area where you live.
Apart from the pay, employees enjoy holiday pay, stock options, a 401K, and pet assistance funds.
3. Health Benefits
Rover values their employees and their health.
The company offers employees a very well-structured and competitive health benefits package.
The package includes dental, health, vision, life insurance, disability cover, and commuter benefits.
4. Perks and Discounts
This is possibly one of the most exciting benefits and advantages of working for Rover.
Employees are free to enjoy a games room that includes a variety of games and activities that the employees can engage in to unwind, relax, and socialize with each other.
In addition to this, there is a fully stocked kitchen with food and drinks such as coffee, tea, soda, and a wide selection of treats that the employees can help themselves to.
And, the best part is that it is all free.
Employees enjoy two company lunches a month, free of charge.
Furthermore, the office is pet friendly, meaning that employees with pets can bring their pets to work, and employees are able to enjoy a casual working environment where t-shirts, shorts, and jeans are the order of the day.
As if this is not enough, employees are treated to regular outings and may enjoy happier hours at the office.
5. Company Culture
Rover employees can look forward to one of the most progressive company cultures currently in practice in business.
Regular group brainstorming sessions mean that employees are involved in at least some of the decision-making that happens at this company and that their opinions and suggestions matter, and will most likely be implemented.
Office plans are open so as to encourage communication amongst employees and management.
In addition, having an open-door policy helps to further promote this policy by allowing lower-ranking employees to approach senior officials without the bureaucratic structures that prevent open channels of communication.
All Rover employees eat lunch together.
And, strategic planning happens through teams as opposed to through top management in isolation of employees.
6. Time Off and Parent Leave
Rover is all about family and it is their motto that family will always trump business.
Rover employees enjoy 10 days of paid holiday leave as well as four weeks off annually, which is also paid.
The company places high value and importance on family matters and spending time with family.
Therefore, these two benefits are enjoyed by all Rover employees.
When it comes to parental leave, Rover gives a generous 10 weeks of paid parental leave, as well as an additional 8 weeks of short-term disability pay (60%).
7. Outings
While this benefit has been mentioned before, we feel that it deserves its own honorary spot due to the amazing benefits associated with this heading.
The company goes above and beyond when taking care of its employees.
There are regular outings arranged for employees to unwind, socialize, and get to know each other better.
Some examples of these outings include wine tastings, ski trips, art classes, and much more.
Cons of Being a Rover Employee
There are a few disadvantages to working for Rover as well.
Here we will list the top seven disadvantages of working for this company.
1. Wages
The salary has been mentioned as a benefit.
However, we are listing it as a disadvantage as well.
We did mention that it was a double-edged sword.
While the salary may be good for those working part-time or in retirement, it is not exactly sufficient to run a family on.
There may be an exception to this if the employee is very busy and able to board animals as well.
The company does mention that if the employee is able to board animals, they could make double or even more than the initial $1,000.
However, not all employees are able to board animals as well or live in an area where there is a high demand for this service.
In these cases, the employee may enjoy a lot of benefits, but not a great salary.
2. You May Need an Additional Job
As mentioned in the previous job, if you do not have a regular dog walking, sitting, or boarding schedule, you may not be making as much money as you could.
In this instance, you may need to go look for an additional job to supplement your income.
The logistics of having to source your income from two different jobs can be quite conflicting as you may double book yourself or your jobs may be located in different parts of the city which may run up your car’s gas bill considerably, especially if you have scheduled yourself for a shift at each job on the same day.
3. You Cannot Get a Mortgage
Your income may fluctuate considerably from one month to the next.
Banks will be very reluctant to pay large sums of money to individuals that they feel do not have a steady or reliable income.
This may prevent you from getting a mortgage on a house.
In turn, you may end up having to fork out money on rent as opposed to being able to invest the money in property.
While the pay may be fairly good, depending on how much work you get, Rover cannot guarantee you a fixed schedule.
As a result, you may be viewed as a financial risk to any lender.
4. You Must Be Flexible
This may be a big advantage if you are studying full-time or if you are in retirement.
However, when you have a household and family to run, then this may not fit in well with your current schedule.
Your work schedule is arranged around the needs of your clients.
You may need to pick up your kids from school at the same time that an on-demand request comes up to walk a dog.
Or, some people may want their dog walked at the normal time your family sits down to have dinner.
You are forced to be more flexible in order to meet the needs of the client.
This disadvantage actually applies to all dog walking companies as they all operate on the same principle.
5. Planning for Your Future May Be Difficult
As stated before, Rover cannot guarantee you a straight shift or a set number of working hours or clients.
As such, it becomes increasingly hard to make plans for the future, as you never really know what your salary will be for the month.
In addition to this, you will only be offered short-term contracts, making your future more unclear.
Rover pays out after two days of having done the service for a client.
So you will need to organize yourself in terms of how you spend and receive money.
6. Difficult Clients
It is a known fact that Rover, much like many other pet sitting companies, experiences rude and impatient customers.
This is something you simply will not get away from.
You will need thick skin in order to deal with these clients in a professional and calm manner.
7. Pet Scratches and Bites
This too is not isolated to Rover alone.
In any pet sitting company, you run the risk of being bitten or scratched by an animal.
Always make sure that you have proper vaccinations in place.
Pros and Cons of Working for Rover – Summary Table
| Pros of Being a Rover Employee | Cons of Being a Rover Employee |
|---|---|
| 1. Enjoy Your Passion | 1. Wages |
| 2. The Pay | 2. You May Need an Additional Job |
| 3. Health Benefits | 3. You Cannot Get a Mortgage |
| 4. Perks and Discounts | 4. You Must Be Flexible |
| 5. Company Culture | 5. Planning for Your Future May Be Difficult |
| 6. Time Off and Parent Leave | 6. Difficult Clients |
| 7. Outings | 7. Pet Scratches and Bites |
Should You Become a Rover Employee?
Rover is a great company with great benefits.
However, there are certain employees who will benefit more from this type of job than others.
The ideal employee is looking for a part-time job and has a lot of flexibility in terms of time.
They are looking to supplement their income.
While many employees have children and the company promotes family time, it may not be the ideal job if you are a parent.
In addition, this job may be much more suited to the younger generation.
