Can you imagine how much more fulfilling your life might be if each morning you didn’t have to say goodbye to your favorite pet? Imagine if you could load up your puppy or your favorite kitty cat and have them lay at your feet all day long at the office? Sounds like a dream, right? Believe it or not there are a bunch of companies out there embracing the bring your pet to the office atmosphere. Focusing on the idea that having your pet by your side just may help increase productivity, having Fido keep your toes warm or fluffy purring on your lap all day, might offer the warm fuzzies you need to make your work day that much better.
Over the years, a number of studies have proven that an office pet (dogs especially!) help teams focus on collaboration and working together, while other studies have shown stress is drastically reduced with the presence of a friendly animal. When you think about it, the mere presence of a dog helps people connect. A dog is something to talk about, laugh about and they offer the unconditional love that you just might need during a stressful moment at the office.
Think about how easy it is to walk up to a stranger to ask if it’s ok to pet his or her dog. We do it all the time – for many of us it’s like second nature. We see a dog, we want to pet it and we immediately strike up conversation with its owner. It incites memories of our childhood dog, good times growing up and a feeling that sometimes can’t really be expressed in words. Bringing a dog into the office takes the same principles into account – giving employees an opportunity to connect on a level that’s merely not achievable any other way. Dogs (and pets in general) often bring out the best in us – providing a sense of contentment and relaxation while also showing the power of unconditional loyalty.
In addition to offering a multitude of ways for employees to connect, an office pet also presents the opportunity for a healthier workplace. With dogs that need to be fed, walked and given lots of attention, employees in pet-friendly work environments have much more motivation to get up, take a walk and get some fresh air. For some people having a dog in the office just doesn’t jive with their day, but many more pets beside dogs are beginning to be welcome at the office. From kitty cats to turtles and goldfish to hamsters, office pets just may help reduce burnout and be the most positive thing a company can do for its employees.
Have you ever worked in a pet-friendly office? Did you love it or was it not for you?
