We’re slowly but surely trickling back into the office so, don’t be alarmed if you arrive at work this Friday, 24 June, and notice something slightly amiss; an extra woof with your coffee perhaps? A sniff and affectionate lick at your morning meeting? No, you don’t need to rush to HR and we’re not barking mad! Join thousands of people around the world and celebrate the 24th annual Take Your Dog To Work Day.
“When working from home became a mandatory requirement for most of us, I don’t think we understood the impact it would have on our pets, and vice versa,” says Hill’s Pet Nutrition’s pet behaviour expert Marycke Ackhurst. “Working with your pet is one of the most rewarding and comforting experiences, and in the long run can reduce stress and increase productivity,” Ackhurst adds that we certainly didn’t consider the impact our pet’s presence would have on our virtual co-workers, and the comic relief they would bring to our workdays.
Now that many of us are ‘back to normal,’ leaving for work in the morning and seeing those sad puppy dog eyes at the door are enough to make us want to turn around and head back into our own lockdown. So, there’s even more reason to celebrate Take Your Dog To Work Day this year, right?
Ackhurst highlights the benefits of bringing your dog to work:
Working with a pet around can reduce stress. Studies have been conducted and published in The International Journal of Workplace Health Management proving that staff who spent their days with a pet had significantly lower stress levels than those who didn’t.
Increased productivity is another perk of having a pet around. A quick break in the sunshine to play or a cuddle and tickle, helps you get more work done. You will feel refreshed after spending that quality time with your new co-worker.
Instead of a once-off, make office dogs a more regular occurrence. Research done by Central Michigan University showed that businesses that allowed dogs at work, or who had an office dog, displayed a more collaborative approach between co-workers. Colleagues were more willing to work with each other once they saw how their peers reacted to having a dog in their presence.
Join the #takeyourdogtoworkday social media conversation on Friday and tag Hill’s @hillspetfoodsa in your office dog selfies
