How to convince your boss to have a dog-friendly workplace
If you’re like me, you work amongst the lucky 7% of companies that allow employees to bring their canine companions to work. If not, this article will help you convince your boss to reconsider. (You’re welcome)
Here are 5 science-backed reasons why a dog-friendly workplace will not only make employees happier and healthier, but will help attract talent, bond with clients, and boost overall productivity around the office.
1. Dogs boost creativity.
Dogs can keep us healthy and happy, which helps foster positive thinking.
In an article published in the Human-Animal Interaction Bulletin, experts claim companies can boost profits and productivity by letting staff bring their dogs to work. How, you ask? People become more creative, trusting, and nicer towards each other after interacting with a dog.
The human body is not meant to sit all day as so many of us with desk jobs have become victims to. “Having a dog to get you up for a little walk and stretch every few hours is so therapeutic, not to mention the cuddles available if things get overwhelming,” says Paige Webster, proud new owner of a Havadoodle puppy.
Indeed, the presence of pets makes an office feel more relaxed, often sparking conversation among employees and putting them in a better mood, thus facilitating productive collaboration.
Dogs at the office also encourage healthy breaks. By playing with a pup, you’ll get some exercise. By walking a dog, creative thinking can be boosted by as much as 60% compared to sitting, which so many of us inevitably do too often.
2. They help attract talent.
Allowing dogs in the workplace can make a company more alluring — especially to millennials who will account for nearly half the workforce by 2020 — yet it can cost the employer literally nothing. In fact, it saves employees hundreds of dollars by relinquishing the need for dog sitters or walkers.
Companies such as Amazon, Etsy, Google, Bissell, Clif Bar, and Petco are among the early adopters of dog-friendly offices. Some even offer play areas, pet gates for cubicles, free pet training, grooming, pet-sitting, and dog-walking. This is what us little fish are up against.
Alex Johnson, Account Manager at Toronto-based advertising agency Giants & Gentlemen says, “[…]People ask to work at our company because of the amount of dogs we always have here.” Looking at two of their office doggy-regulars pictured below, I believe it. *Swoons.*
Findings from a Banfield Pet Hospital survey reveal that workplace dogs are a key to a happy office. And quote:
“Overwhelmingly, responses indicate that pet-friendly workplaces are viewed as highly positive, boosting morale, contributing to talent retention and providing employers with a competitive edge in the recruitment process. Survey respondents even report that they believe more people would adopt pets if their companies offered pet-friendly office policies.”
3. Dogs foster socialization.
Dogs are social creatures and they have a contagious effect. But don’t take my word for it.
Kyle Ma of McMaster University’s Physics Department brings his Jack Russell puppy “Birdy” to work on a regular basis. “She brings lots of joy to everyone [and encourages them to] interact with each other.”
“People will stop you in the corridors to stroke your dog so you start talking to someone in a different part of the company who you’d never normally have spoken to, or have only encountered over email. The atmosphere in the office is warmer now and more sociable.”
— Source: Odette Forbes, head of media relations at Nestlé.
Dogs are great for fostering internal connection, but they also appeal to existing and potential clients. When a customer and/or vendor enters an office with well-behaved dogs, a smile and feeling of ease is inevitable (unless they have an allergy, of course). After a few moments of petting, they’ll be in a better mood — which can translate into a more favourable meeting for you.
4. Dogs improve employee work-life balance.
Employees that bring their dog into the office tend to have better focus and work longer hours. They are not worried about what their pup might be getting up to while home alone. They aren’t thinking about whether their pup picked up some bug while at the sitter, if the dog-walker came on time, or if puppy-eyes are being made due to loneliness.
Like many dog owners, Andrea Zehr of Amazon’s A9 equates having a pooch with having a baby. She says,
“I sometimes get a sixth dog-motherly sense about how is my baby doing, which can take me away from the task I’m working on.”
She also compares the freedom of playing with her pup during work hours as a healthy alternative to smoke breaks.
Dogs can help add structure and routine to the day, since they require regular feeding and exercise. Regardless of the owner’s mood, the dog needs to be tended to. This entails — pun intended — getting out of bed, exercising, and moving on with life in a disciplined manner.
When researching content for this article, I came across a few rebuttal pieces to having dog-friendly workplaces. The main arguments were that untrained dogs don’t bode well in a professional environment and that some dogs actually prefer to stay at home. The solution as I see it: train your dogs and use your dog-parent judgements as to gauge how your pup is feeling.
According to Petbreeds, there are ‘ideal’ dogs to bring to the workplace. Here at Pixel Tours, we’ve got two of the top three regularly visiting the office; Simba the golden retriever and Shiloh the poodle. The number one best dog to bring to work? The vizsla, due to their minimal shedding and calm nature.
5. Because science.
If you aren’t already convinced of the global movement that is the dog-friendly workplace, perhaps science will enlighten you.
Stress-related illnesses cost the UK 10 million working days in 2015, and a recent study claims dogs are a viable medicine.
Compared to non-pet owners, dog owners have lowered blood pressure, triglyceride, and cholesterol (indicators of heart disease), more frequently relaxed muscles and regular breathing, elevated levels of serotonin, oxytocin and dopamine — the endorphins linked to happiness and relaxation — and are less likely to suffer from depression. Interestingly, heart attack patients with dogs live longer, while dog owners aged 65+ make 30% fewer visits to the doctor.
A recent study in the Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine confirmed these effects and showed changes in blood chemistry, demonstrating reduced amounts of stress-related hormones.
Perhaps most interestingly, these positive psychological effects work significantly faster than many drugs taken for stress — including nicotine and caffeine — with all of these benefits occurring only 5–24 minutes of interacting with the pup.
Convinced yet? Welcome to the bark side. *Mic drop*
What is Pixel Tours?
Pixel Tours is a product design and strategy consultancy based in Toronto. We bring sensible UX and technology intelligence to complex digital products from web to mobile to virtual & mixed reality.
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