Taking your furry friend to the office, not only adds a bit of cuteness to your surroundings but has also been known to help boost work productivity amongst your team. Dog friendly work places are becoming more and more popular.
Dog owners dream about taking their beloved pet to work to keep them company and lift spirits, but it’s not always easy or in fact feasible for some. Before considering taking your pooch to the office you would obviously need to be given the go-ahead and check that no one in your office suffers from allergies etc.
There are numerous benefits to having your dog come to work. Obviously, you would need to consider the size. If you’re the proud owner of a St Bernard, this might not be the most suitable dog breed for the office, you may have to bring a smaller dog breed. Before you do decide to bring your dog to work, you must check that your work policy covers dog friendly work places.
Listed below are some of the reasons why taking your dog to the office is a good thing.
Your pet will not be left home alone
Of course, it won’t only be your employees that benefit; your dog will thank you too. Dogs prefer not to be left alone all day and it’s not fair to do so. Allowing employees to bring their dogs to the office will help reduce the stress for them, as this means they don’t have to worry about their pet being left alone all day on their own. It can also encourage staff to work longer hours as they don’t have to rush home to attend to their pets.
Reduce stress levels
Stroking and petting your dog is provides instant relief from stress and can help boost your mood. Dogs have the innate powers to help reduce stress and lift moods with their presence. If you’re on the brink of a work melt-down and your beloved, cute furry friend wants cuddles, this can help you from becoming stressed and anxious. Plus, they have such cute smiles and adorable, innocent eyes that shine bright and happy!
Team bonding
Having an office dog can create a wonderful bonding tool that can help the workforce to talk and develop common interests, which will create new conversations. You will find that those in your team that normally don’t like to engage or talk too much, may open up and enjoy the company of an office dog and boost their confidence to interact more with their team.
Exercise through the day
Bringing your dog to the office will help you achieve more fitness goals throughout the day and help boost serotine levels by going outside more and having fun with your dog. You can also look to share the reasonability of walking your dog. It may be fun to create a dog walking rota so you all have an involvement to walk the dog. This will encourage the workforce to become more active and time away from their computers, which brings a whole host of health benefits.
Increase workforce productivity
Taking a short break away from your desk has been proven to help increase productivity in the workplace. Spending time with a dog and taking them for a quick walk will help clear the mind and relax an employee that may be stressed with their day.
Stimulate creativity
Animals can help provide necessary pauses in your working day. Small breaks here and there stroking and petting an animal will not only help with stress levels but also allow an employee to think more creatively.
Pets can help improve company image
Creating a dog friendly workplace can help with the company’s image and reputation. Dogs in the office soften the atmosphere and provide a welcoming experience for clients and, or customers. It also shows that the company is more forward thinking and understanding of their employee’s needs.
Attract top talent to the company
Employee turnover can be costly and there are easy ways to help your employee retention. With simple perks such as; bring your dog to work, will help retain staff and attract serious talent to your company. Providing a pet-friendly policy is the desired want from a prospective employee.
Before you make the final decision to allow dogs to the office, there are a few points that should be considered before an agreement.
• Check if employees object or have allergies to animals
• Check tenancy agreement that allows dogs in buildings
• Make sure your dog is well trained and will behave
• Check that there are no easy escapes for the dog and that they’re well contained in the office
• Provide a comfortable bed along with their food and water
• Keep any chemicals are harmful objects out of reach
• Provide a safe environment away from the hustle and bustle of a busy office
