Nowadays, it seems it’s not such an outlandish idea to have a pet at the office — there are actually quite a few advantages. For example, a few years ago, research by Virginia Commonwealth University showed that people experience less stress when a dog is around.
Researchers took saliva samples from factory employees and looked at how much of the stress hormone cortisol was in it. The results showed that only the employees who had had a dog in their vicinity had low cortisol levels by the end of the day.
Bosses across the UK are being encouraged to allow their staff to bring their pets to work, with the intention of making the workplace a more relaxed, productive, enjoyable place. The hashtag #BringYourDogToWorkDay will be trending, with photos of dogs sitting on office chairs, in coffee docks and at workplace receptions. 
On first impressions, this may seem like an indulgence to sentimental pet owners. However, with deeper analysis, it turns out that there’s a strong rationale for a dog-friendly attitude in the workplace.
However for bigger companies like Google, it’s nothing unusual to take your dog to the office but the same seems to be the case for a lot of Dutch companies too — on LinkedIn, there are currently 75 active vacancies at Dutch companies that mention an office dog.
Not only does your cortisol level drop when you stroke a dog; you also produce more of the hormone oxytocin, which makes you feel more relaxed and happy
Having pets in the office also has other bonuses:
- Dogs are a powerful source of social support for humans. When a dog is beside you, you have a sense that they are giving you genuinely unconditional love, and that feels good.
- Dogs encourage owners to take exercise: studies have shown that on average, dog owners walk 79% further than non-dog owners.
- Petting a dog has been proven to reduce stress, whether or not you own the dog. The process of patting and stroking a dog reduces the blood pressure, changes your physiological state into a more relaxed mode, and makes you feel better. So dogs in your office could help lessen the overall stress of the workplace environment.
- Pet ownership generally has been shown to have a number of positive health benefits, including fewer visits to the doctor, lower cholesterol and improved heart health. If you encourage pet ownership amongst your employees by letting them bring their dogs to work, you’re likely to be rewarded by a healthier workforce with fewer sick days.
- Dogs are social creatures, loving to be included in their owners’ daily activities. It’s fun for dogs to be out and about with humans, and it’s good for their psychological and physical health too.
- If employees are allowed to bring their dogs to work, they will save money through not having to pay for a dog minder, doggy daycare or dog walker. This is a genuine financial perk for your staff that costs you nothing.
- Dogs act as a social lubricant, increasing the ease and frequency of conversations between friends, colleagues and strangers.
- A Dogs At Work policy is often viewed by employees as a valuable employment perk. A recent study showed that over two fifths (43%) of employees would like to see pets allowed in the office, 39% felt that pets at work would increase their productivity, 50% believed it would increase their happiness, and a significant proportion of workers would be prepared to stay at work for longer if pets were allowed to be there with them.
- Your company will be joining a long list of successful companies that have adopted Dogs At Work policies, including Amazon, Google and Ben & Jerry’s. Not surprisingly, a pet food company has one of the longest-running Pets-At-Work schemes. Purina PetCare has had a year-round dog-friendly policy since 2003. They’ve witnessed for themselves the many benefits, and to encourage other companies to join in, they have launched a Pets at Work Toolkit which includes six easy steps to set-up a successful Pets at Work scheme, as well as, as well as health and safety advice and tips on workspace requirements
So, what’s the best way of choosing the right pet for your office?
According to behavioural psychologist Lotte Spijkerman, dogs and cats have roughly the same psychological effect on people.
“They reduce stress and increase productivity, mainly because they interact with you of their own accord and, when they pop over to your work station, it’s a good reminder that you might need to take a break,” explained the psychologist.
In the case of, say, a hamster, the effect is less pronounced — but if you don’t feel like changing litter boxes or taking the dog for a walk, they’re a bit more of a low maintenance option.
Fish tank goldfish:
A fish tank has about the same effect on people as watching a hearth fire.” That goes for birds or anything natural in the office, like plants. Even smells can have a soothing effect, with citrus smells being useful for calming.”
So, if the goal is to create a little peace and quiet in the workplace, you could, instead, opt for a lot of plants or a reed diffuser — or there’s another alternative.
“We know from psychology that if you find someone nicer, you move with him or her faster. And if someone looks like you, because he also has a dog, for example, it could be easier to make a deal. ”
So Maybe it time to get your office ready for the next national International Dog Day on 26 August 2021.
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