So, you’ve just had your annual review. Your supervisor looks at you and asks, “Is there anything that the company can do for you to make you happier at work? You look at her, and just to be funny, you reply, “Yeah. I want to be able to bring Clover to work with me.”
Clover is your dog. You think there’s no way in this lifetime that Sponagle is ever going to be able to go to work with you. But then your supervisor looks at you, nods, and says, “Yeah, we could work with that.”
Bringing Your Dog to Work Works!
According to a Virginia Commonwealth University study, people who bring their dogs to work with them are more productive and considerably less stressed than people who have dogs but have to leave them at home when they come to work. The study also found that people who interacted with co-workers who brought their dogs to work were more productive.
Check out the most dog friendly office.
But It Doesn’t Always Work
Now, something that you have to keep in mind is that not all workers are created equally, and not all pets are created equally. Probably no one would argue against bringing Old Yeller or Hooch to work, but they might not be overly receptive to Cujo. And not all workplaces can accommodate all animals.
A happy, smiling puppy is indisputably going to reduce stress in the workplace. But if you introduce a cranky cat into the mix, watch out.
Pick and Choose
If you are thinking about introducing animals into the workplace, it is probably a very good idea, but you are going to want to carefully vet the animals that you bring in, in the same way that you would vet potential employees. Not everyone is going to get along.
By the same token, you should not pre-judge. You don’t do that with humans, so don’t do it with animals. A sweet, gentle Rottweiler can be far more of an asset to your workplace than a nasty, ankle-biting Yorkie.
Interview
If you are thinking about bringing animals into the workplace, handle it the same way you would humans. If you’re the boss, ask your employees to bring their animals in for a “meet and greet.” Some will pass the test immediately. Others might need a little work, and some will not be suitable.
Once you have identified suitable workplace animals, see how they interact with one another. You do not want a disruptive workplace with animals running all over the place and conflicting with one another. If it looks like everyone is in a good place, though, ask yourself if there is really any reason why your workers should not be able to bring their animal friends to work. It could make for a much more comforting and caring workplace.
In short, can you imagine everyone feeling very excited about coming into work because they know they will be greeted with happy animal smiles every day? Can you imagine your employees being happy coming into work because they do not have to leave their best friends at home?
For sure, this might not work in every workplace, but if it seems at all feasible, why not give it a try?
Conclusion
In conclusion, happy employees are productive employees, and people love their animal friends. Why not bring those friends into the workplace? Let that person you just reviewed, the one who needed to have Sponagle at work in order to be happy, bring Sponagle into the office. You might be surprised how well it works out for everyone.
