Even just a few years ago the very idea of taking your dog to work with you for dog owners was something of a meme-like fantasy, but more and more businesses are changing their dogs at work policy to allow people to bring their dog with them. Having worked in a dog friendly office for over a decade, I’ve seen the benefits for not only dog owners, but for the workplace as well.
Today marks my last day in a workplace that has for the most part always been very welcoming of dogs, and when a change in career was coming about, the most pertinent question from myself and my partner wasn’t around my change in commute, or routine but was actually ‘What are we going to do with Eddie?’ That’s because for as long as we’ve had Eddie, I’ve always had the option to bring him into the office with me for a day or so each week when we knew there would be nobody in the house to stay with him. One of the biggest points of thought when getting a dog isn’t just around cost, it’s about the time you can dedicate to your dog so that they’re not left alone for hours on end.
There are options for dog owners of course, there are great local dog walkers, there are dog daycare centres that will look after your dog for the day or even dog sitters that will welcome your dog into their home for the day or overnight. These are fantastic options to break up your dogs day if being left alone, but not everybody can afford this on a regular basis. This is the main benefit of a dog-friendly office for dog owners.
Dogs in the Workplace – Benefits to Owners
- Cost-saving
- Less time alone for your dog – Most people work for at least 8 hours, and that is without commute time added on. It’s a huge amount of time for an animal to be left on their own if there’s nothing to break up their day.
- Good for dog socialising – Getting your dog used to being around strangers is always a good thing, and it’ll mean they’re more accustomed to it if you want to take them to a dog-friendly pub or cafe on a weekend.
- Gets you out of the office on a lunchtime – We’ve all been guilty of working through lunch or sitting at our desk with a sandwich. Bringing your dog to work means that you actually get outside for a walk on your lunchtime, which in turn gives you those mental health benefits of fresh air, exercise and a chance to clear your head ready for the afternoon.
Now, if you’re not a dog owner, and you’re not a dog lover then you’re probably thinking to yourself: ‘well you should have considered the cost before buying a dog’ and you’d be right to think that. Obviously, the idea of cost-saving is entirely personal and perhaps a selfish reason, but there has been a lot of research around dogs in work over the last few years, and there are actually small benefits to the workplace as a whole, and that’s something I’ve had hands-on experience with.
Benefits of Dogs in the Workplace
- Reduce Stress – In a fast-paced office environment, stress is often part and parcel of the job. When work is getting on top of somebody, it’s a great option for them to get up from their desk and come stroke a dog who is always happy to see them. There have been studies that show that a dog in the office can actually help lower employee stress.
- Improve Communication – How often in offices are we guilty of sending an email rather than getting up and going over to speak with somebody? Pop a dog under your desk and people are definitely more likely to come over and speak to you in person. Not only that it might get you speaking to people in the office that you usually wouldn’t deal with.
- Improve Productivity – It surely doesn’t need to be said that if you’re reducing stress and tension among employees, then you’re likely to have a happier and more productive workforce?
- Employee Retention – Less stress? Personal benefit? This is clearly a great place to work. I’ll stay. Being able to bring your dog to work is a genuine benefit of employment for a business, probably even more so than a free Corona at 4pm on a Friday.
Sounds good right? Thinking of talking to your boss? There’s one major sticking point that you need to be mindful of as a dog owner. Allergies and fear. Not everybody likes dogs for various reasons, that is why a dog-friendly office can’t simply mean that you let your dog run free (unless you’ve agreed that with everybody else) ground rules need to be set to ensure those who may not like dogs can still go about their day without additional stress. I’m not a huge fan of ‘Bring your Dog to Work Day’ for this very reason, if everybody is bringing their dog all on one day, all you’re going to do is create mayhem. A ‘dogs in the workplace policy’ needs to be agreed to benefit everybody, otherwise, you’ll quickly find it gets taken away.
Here’s what we agreed to in our office to bridge the gap:
Agree an Office Dog Policy
- Dogs tethered at your desk, not roaming free.
- Don’t take your dog in common/break areas. People who don’t like dogs need their relaxation space as well, so avoid taking your dog into the canteen.
- Properly socialise your dog. Get them to a point where they won’t be barking through the day, a walk at lunch is a great way to break up their day and yours, it’ll also keep them quiet in the afternoon.
- If there are other dogs, your dog needs to be calm and playful, not aggressive.
- They MUST be toilet trained. It goes without saying really, doesn’t it? We only had a couple of accidents during my years here so i’d say it was a success. Accidents happen, but it’s your dog and you have to be willing to clean it.
- Don’t abuse the policy. Unless you’ve got permission, try and not bring them in every day. It’s a benefit and should be treated as such.
Your office should only ever see the good side of your dog, them being there needs to create a positive impact on your co-workers. If you do that then you’ll wonder why the dogs in the workplace policy hadn’t always been there. Perhaps that is why so many bar staff come over to fuss your dog in a dog friendly pub? It’s a little stress reliever for them in what is otherwise a hectic job.
You’ll often find a dog-friendly policy comes from the top. If your boss likes dogs, it’ll be easier to implement. If the owner of a pub or cafe likes dogs, you’ll find it’s likely a dog-friendly place. If you’re a courteous dog owner and you understand that some people may have objections and work with them to find a solution, then you’re far more likely to get something agreed.
Is your workplace dog friendly? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.