Take Your Dog to Work?

Looking for a no-cost employee pick-me up? Proponents say this perk increases worker cohesion, lowers stress, and that there are few downsides. Dog-friendly workplaces, where well-behaved pets are welcomed to join their owners in the daily grind, are found all over the country.

The majority of companies that allow dogs are small start-up companies that realize the need for a flexible work environment or large high tech firms that allow dogs in order to capture the interest of a prospective employee or to retain their current employees. One survey found that 20% of employers have pet-friendly policies.

Of course, not all pets are well-behaved enough to be welcomed into the work environment. Some are hyper, too vocal, or aggressive. Pets should have decent manners, be house-trained and well-groomed. Owners must responsibly evaluate their own ability to perform when Fido is present and their pet’s shortcomings in human and animal relations. Pet-friendly workplaces have found that most employees will police themselves because they understand that such policies are a privilege and not a right. But setting up rules and enforcement procedures are a must.

Facts from the American Humane Association

• Staff morale and worker productivity are increased by bringing pets to work
• Increased camaraderie among employees when pets are in the workplace
• Happier employees result in enhanced job performance
• Increase in sales reported by store owners who take their dogs to work
• Dogs can serve as a crime deterrent

For more information of the ins and outs of a pet-friendly policy for your workplace, check out Dogs at Work: A Practical Guide to Creating Dog-Friendly Workplaces, a Humane Society of United States publication that presents the workplace benefits of and steps to developing dog-friendly policies in the workplace.

As for me, personally, I would love to see a dog around the office on occasion—mine or a co-worker’s. There is nothing like a puppy break to ease tension or reset focus.

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