5 Reasons Why Every Day Should Be “Bring Your Dog to Work Day”
Do you want to be happier at work? Be more productive? Reduce your stress levels?
Having a pet in the office not only adds some cuteness and joy to your day, but studies have shown how this can boost your happiness and productivity at work! Come on, who wouldn’t want to hang out with their best friend all day?
According to the HSE (Health and Safety Executive), “15.4 million working days are lost every year due to stress, anxiety and depression in the UK.” Many studies have shown that having pets such as dogs in the workplace can reduce stress, improve employee interactions and increase overall job satisfaction. With this in mind, it's no surprise that many companies across the world are recognising the importance of our furry friends within the workplace, so it’s about time your office does too!
Here’s five reasons why your business should have a pet in the workplace policy!
1. Dogs make us happy
It’s a well-known fact that pets make people happier. A study in Japan found that petting a dog can boost levels of endorphins, dopamine and oxytocin in the body which increases happiness and overall well-being. Happy workers = happy company!
Having your furry friend by your side at work can brighten up your day and others too! Laughter is contagious, and research has found that dogs in the workplace reduce stress and burnout. Dogs bring humour to the office and smiles all around. Especially during those difficult days, being around dogs will pick up your mood and make you feel happier. This not only benefits yourself but your employer too, as happier employees means fewer sick days!
2. Brings people together
Having a dog in the workplace is a great ice breaker and can spark up conversations among people who wouldn’t usually interact with one another, giving the office environment a real family feel.
The first regular canine co-worker at the Leisurejobs HQ was a yellow Labrador named Nacho. Our Director, Dan Razavi recalls having Nacho in the office “He brought a lot of fun to the busy Sales environment and was great for getting the team to bond. Taking him to the park during lunch breaks got everyone out the office and having a quick five-minute cuddle or chucking his frisbee around really helped to lift the atmosphere!”
3. Its time you went outside
A dog gives you a reason to actually leave your desk. Think about it, you spend around 8+ hours a day sitting at your desk and now there is no excuse to eat lunch behind your keyboard. Go outside, get some fresh air and actually enjoy your lunch time! This gives you the opportunity to appreciate the outdoors, have some quality time with your dog and get that walk in. Also helping to increase your productivity for the rest of the day.
It’s common knowledge that having a pooch helps to keep you active as well as happy. You can see the effects that exercise has on the mindset in our infographic: Why does exercise make us happy?
4. Attracting and retaining is key
Dog friendly offices are seen as an attractive perk which might give your company the upper hand for a dog lover who then wants to join you over another company. Not only do dogs help employers to attract the best talent, they allow employees to save money by not having the extra financial burden of paying for a dog minder or doggy day care whilst at work.
Even though our pooches are priceless, you can save up to £90 a day on doggy day care just by bringing your dog into the office. Just think about all the extra money you could have in your pocket to put towards a house, that summer holiday or even a new car. Bringing your dog into work really does have financial benefits too!
5. Top work perk
Having your dog with you at work means you don’t have to leave your friend alone at home! This is great for people who work in the city as they are more willing to work longer hours and don’t need to worry about getting home to feed the dog. It’s no wonder that “42% percent of working millennials would like or enjoy a dog-friendly workplace as they look to increase their work-life balance.”
With all this in mind, we think it’s time you tell your boss. Ask them to look into implementing a pets in the workplace policy if you don’t have one already. Many big companies such as Amazon and Google have pet-friendly offices, so why shouldn’t yours? Nowadays employees want more perks at work and better work-life balance. Therefore, having a pet in the workplace policy will make your company stand out from other employers and will demonstrate that you are a friendly and great place to work!
Unfortunately, some job areas are a bit more open than others when it comes to dogs or pets in the workplace. For example you're a lot more likely to be able to bring your dog into an office based environment for sales/marketing, travel or finance brands.
At this moment in time you've probably got little chance of having your furry friend at work with you if you're cooking a prime cut of beef, showing someone how to bench press or changing the sheets on a bed. But you never know, this might change one day!