By Ruby Smith
The downside to working long hours is having to leave your beloved dog at home. But some employers are trying to change that by creating a dog-friendly workplace.
Many offices now allow you to bring your dog to work and offer other dog-friendly perks.
And why not when this generation might just be the largest pet-owning population on Earth?
We live in a world that may soon have more dog owners than baby boomers. Perhaps more importantly, one in three millennials owns a dog.
The dog-friendly workplace trend
More and more companies want to hire millennials. That means inviting all kinds of new work ethics and strategies. By 2020, millenials will make up more than half of the globe’s workforce.
That’s why employers want to create a more comfortable environment for their employees. Allowing pet owners to bring their dogs to work is one way to make them feel more at home.
Some millennials aren’t early risers and instead prefer to work later. That can make taking care of their dogs difficult. Bringing their dogs to work eliminates that problem.
Not only are workplaces rolling out the red carpet for dogs, they’re also offering more dog-friendly perks to employees like pet health insurance. Google now offers dog health insurance to its employees and other companies are offering benefits such as “pawternity” time off when employees adopt a dog.
Benefits of a dog-friendly workplace
In addition to making workers happier, a dog-friendly workplace offers other benefits, too.
1. Improves work-life balance
When you take your dog to work, you won’t have to worry about him being alone at home all day. That’s especially good news for people who have senior dogs or young puppies whose bladders make it difficult to spend long hours alone.
It can be incredibly heartbreaking to leave your sick or elderly dog at home when you know he’s in pain. But when you can bring him to work at you, you don’t have to worry because you can easily keep tabs on him.
Companies also have realized that when employees bring their dogs to work, they don’t have to rush home at the end of the traditional work day and instead can stay longer to complete projects.
2. Improves social skills at work
Human interactions are easier when there’s a reason to interact and dogs make great ice-breakers. Striking up conversations is easier when coworkers stop by to greet your dog. They might even offer dog food or treats to your hungry pet.
Boosting social interaction helps develop trust and foster strong bonds between co-workers, which in turn can improve collaboration.
3. Reduces stress
Everybody knows dogs help reduce human stress levels. Bringing your dog to the office goes a long way in lowering the cortisol hormone that our bodies release during a stressful situation.
Imagine you’ve just finished a meeting that didn’t go well. On your way back to your desk, you run into the cute little pug a co-worker brought to work. All you have to do is play with the pug for a few minutes to boost your mood.
4. Improves physical health
Dog owners are less likely to experience high blood pressure or cholesterol levels. More often than not, dog owners tend to socialize and exercise regularly, which provides incredible health benefits.
When you bring your dog to work, the need to take him outside provides you with an excellent reason to take occasional breaks. And rather than indulge in extra caffeine or sweets, you’ll get a few minutes out of your chair and outside in the fresh air.
5. Boosts creativity
Every company wants its employees to be more creative and productive. Physical activity not only makes the body healthier, it also helps boost mental capabilities.
And creating a dog-friendly workplace that allows employees to bring their dogs to work gives them the opportunity to relax their brains and boost inspiration. Taking a few minutes away from your computer gives your brain’s creative juices a chance to start flowing.
In the end, creating a dog-friendly workplace not only makes employees happy, the dogs also spread joy to bosses, co-workers and even customers.
Ruby Smith is a passionate blogger who likes to write about dogs, cats, fish, and other pets. She’s happy to share her expertise about pet products and has developed a keen interest in providing useful tips about pet care.
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