For anyone who loves dogs, having the canine kind in the workplace seems like an obvious perk. Who doesn’t want to hang out with dogs all day? But beyond the basic joy of having furry friends in the office, studies show that having dogs are work is actually a benefit to all.
Social Support– Let’s face it, it’s great to have your furry BFF sitting next to you all day. It’s comforting. “Dogs provide social support to employees as well as more opportunities for coworkers to interact in a positive setting,” according TIME, which cites several studies.
Stress Reduction– Taking a break from intense work to take a quick walk outside with your dog, or even just spending some quiet time petting or playing with your or someone else’s dog can provide tremendous stress relief.
Comic Relief – Dogs are funny. And they have an uncanny way of being funny at just the right times. Every office needs a little laughter to break up tense meetings or high stress situations.
Logistics and Productivity– If their dog is with them at work, employees don’t have to leave work to go home at lunch to let their dog out in the middle of the day or, rush home a the end of the day for the same reason.
Social Time– If you’re walking through the office with your friendly dog, it’s likely you’ll encounter plenty of dog lovers you might not normally socialize with. It’s a great way to meet other people in different departments.
Dog Time for Everyone– Even if you don’t have a pet yourself, you can still benefit from dogs in the work place. Consider keeping a jar of dog treats at your desk to encourage “drop in” visitors begging for a little afternoon snack.
As people demand better work-life balance and companies must think out of the box regarding employee perks, offering a dog-friendly workplace is a great way to set your company apart from the competition and make it a fun and friendly place to go to work every day.
Anna Peneva
I had two cats in my workplace!
Joan Cootes
It makes sense. If a dog is left home alone, he/she can suffer from separation anxiety and boredom, and become destructive. If a dog is with his/her human, then he/she will be much happier.
Becky
Wouldn’t it be fun if everyone’s employer allowed them to bring their sweet, funny fur-babies with them to work? However, it could easily turn the office environment into a circus, even chaos, if a few of the pets decided to “mix it up” a bit. It could also be very distracting. However, having ONE “resident” office pet around might not be such a bad idea. With a little bed and a leash next to the front door, a food and water bowl, and perhaps a litter box off in some quiet corner, and it would probably brighten the moods of everyone in the office. I’ve read stories of the guys at fire department stations having “mascots”… why not everyone else?
Cynthia L Plankar
I am retired now but I wish I could have brought my dog to work. It would of been very nice
Nelson William Bellingham.
I agree pets ,dogs heip people in hospitals in healing, also in work productive systems. Also as guide dogs for the blind. Keeps our arm forces safe in foreign countrys.
Marcy
I love dogs. I love ALL animals. I love petting dogs. I HATE dogs at work. It’s disruptive, smelly, and makes my nose run like crazy, as I’m apparently allergic to some of them.
Deborah London
I once worked at an office and my dog was not welcome, so I LEFT!!!!!!!!!!!! plain and simple…
Heather Thomson-Stewart
Yes I agree dogs should be allowed to accompany their owners to work.
the owners work better by not worrying what their animals are doing.
Tricia KW Welch
I think having a cat around a workplace, maybe full-time – would be a very nice thing.
You know, one of those big, orange laid-back kitties. A lap cat for everyone’s enjoyment.
Some places do have this and they also increase production, and help alleviate stress.
Diane
How adorable!!!
Peggy Sanders
I worked somewhere and employees would sometimes bring their puppies in. Yes, it was so cute but there were also employees that were ALLERGIC to dogs. They complained to management and employees were no longer allowed to bring puppies in. Missed seeing them but I totally understood.