Speaker, business mentor and angel investor Mark Lyttleton supports a variety of charities, including Dogs Trust. This article will look at the benefits of allowing employees to bring their pets to work and what businesses can do to make their premises more dog friendly.
24th June 2022 marked Bring Your Dog to Work Day in the UK, encouraging employers to be more open-minded about allowing their workers to bring their pets to work, raising funds for Dogs Trust and providing fun for all involved.
Studies show that in allowing employees to bring their pets to work, businesses can boost the productivity and overall wellbeing of their workforce. The presence of pets effectively drives down stress levels while increasing job satisfaction, as well as boosting team cooperation and staff morale.
Since 2014, the year of Dogs Trust’s inaugural Bring Your Dog to Work Day, a growing number of businesses across the UK have started to allow dogs in the workplace. In addition to raising funds for a very worthy cause, Bring Your Dog to Work Day improves the happiness and productivity of workers across the country, as well as providing thousands of beloved pets with companionship throughout the day.
Some employers remain reluctant to embrace the event, fearing potential disruption created by canine visitors to the office. While pet-friendly premises are not appropriate for all businesses or indeed all pets, there are some significant advantages as well as pitfalls.
Office dogs can help to reduce workplace stress, not only for the pet’s owner but also for their colleagues too. Be it a walk in the park or a dog under the desk, contact with nature is proven to have a positive impact on mental health.
Animals have a great way of lightening mood, combatting workplace stress and putting a smile on people’s faces. As well as serving as a great icebreaker, they encourage interaction between colleagues, boosting employee engagement.
Dogs need walking and feeding, encouraging workers to take regular breaks. Heading outdoors for a brisk walk benefits both physical and mental health and wellbeing, helping employees to clear their heads and get their endorphins flowing.
In a poll conducted by Dogs Trust after Bring Your Dog to Work Day 2022, 43% of respondents reported that they had taken their dog into work to mark the occasion. Of these, 87% agreed that it was a great experience.
Sharing her thoughts about welcoming canine companions to the workplace, Dogs Trust Canine Behaviour Officer Katharine Creagh indicated that that the key to a positive experience was careful planning, pointing out that an impulsive visit to the workplace could spell disaster with an unprepared pooch. For those who are considering introducing their pet to the workplace, preparation is key, not just for the goodwill of employers and colleagues but also for the welfare of the dog and the worker’s own sanity.
A workplace ‘doggy code of conduct’ is a great starting point, establishing procedures and boundaries for gradual changes to the working environment. Staggering on-site working days for multiple pets is also a sensible tactic to avoid workplaces becoming overrun with pets.
From retail spaces to offices, Dogs Trust is working with some of the UK’s most forward-thinking employers through its Dog-Friendly Workplaces programme, helping companies to support not just dog-owning employees but also customers, suppliers and other visitors by creating a happy, dog-welcoming environment where pets of all stakeholders are welcome.
