Dogs in the workplace! Yes or No?
By Pauline Stephens, Recruitment Consultant, Eden Ritchie Recruitment
During Covid, our best fur friends became very used to our Company as did we of theirs, therefore when it was time to go back into the workplace, some pets became very depressed and unmanageable. I don’t know about you, but I missed them just as much.
The fact is many owners who are able to bring their pets to work do not bring them every day for the very reason, they can be a distraction. In saying that, employers are finally warming up to the idea and now it is estimated that around 2.5 million people have brought their pet to work. That is around 8% of employees…..
Some businesses, such as Amazon, Google, and Nestle, offer their employees perks which allow them to take their dog to work any day of the year, while other businesses organise an annual ‘Bring Your Dog To Work Day’. As stated in MyPetNeedsThatStaff in June 2020.
Bringing your dog to work is an incredible experience. It’s good for you, your dog and your employer. Workplace dogs have been shown to reduce stress and improve people’s job satisfaction,
Here are some reasons
- Stress Relief
- Team Cohesion
- Saving you Money
- Job Satisfaction and Productivity
- Your Dogs Health and Confidence
It should never be assumed that all employees will react positively to the introduction of pets into the workplace. There will no doubt be individuals who are not fond of pets or animals and do not want them in the workplace, which needs to be taken into consideration.
Each work environment will have different responses to addressing these risks, but whatever those responses are, it is essential that employers clearly set the parameters of what ‘pet-friendly’ means in their workplace through a tailored policy.
The Negative with Bringing your Dog to Work
- They can be messy
- Get in the way
- Some can have behaviour problems
- Distracting
- Some staff may have allergies to dogs
I believe it is a good thing for all staff when stress levels are high to bring your dog to work even for one day a week. It brings stress levels down, and they are a positive distraction.
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