Let’s face it, the office environment is changing. Less than corporate attire, flexible working arrangements, trendy aesthetics, and the occasional bark of a friendly office dog or two are becoming commonplace.
Not so long ago, an office dog would be seen as completely inappropriate in a professional environment, but they are now helping businesses achieve higher rates of employee retention and engagement, creating positive productivity outcomes and boosting morale and collaboration.
All you need to do is ask your resident dog-obsessed employee if you think allowing a roster of dogs in the workplace is a good idea, to be presented with endless reasons why their pooch should join them at work tomorrow.
Only this year Amazon Australia invited staff to bring their dogs into the office at the commencement of their Dogs at Work (DAW) program. Amazon shared in a recent blog post having dogs in the office has added to their dynamic and has provided an unexpected mechanism for collaboration and connection.
The South Australian Business Chamber member Careerlink People Solutions recently introduced an office dog into their workplace and the benefits have been obvious and instantaneous.
Joshua Tindall, Careerlink Senior Client Partner said “Having my dog Pippa in our office instantly brightened and uplifted the mood of the team. Exactly what you need on a busy day.
“She had her own space to keep to herself, or explore as she liked and was not at all distracting. She simply made us smile when she visited everyone.”
With many of us getting a good taste of working from home during the pandemic, office environments have started to evolve introducing some little bits of home to the standard 9 to 5.
Kate Fitzpatrick, Philanthropy Manager at RSPCA has up to 6 dogs in her office at any one time, including her own, Archie. “Being able to bring Archie to work with me a few days a week enables me to combine my two loves – animals and fundraising for a good cause. Archie is adored by the entire team and having him around has helped me to get to know my colleagues and clients on a personal level.
“We suggest making sure everyone in the team is ok with having dogs around, they are introduced to all the staff, they have their own familiar bed from home, have plenty of water and get a break outside every so often” – said Ms Fitzpatrick.
Disability support and accomodation provider sacare have been a dog friendly workplace for 16 years. “It is evident the benefits it has provided for the physical and mental wellbeing of our team.” said Chloe Kempe — CEO of sacare.
“The energy that the dogs bring encourage collaboration and friendships across different teams, a welcomed distraction when needed during times of stress and a sense of connection for everyone.
“The resident doggies start the day off playfully and create positive energy from the outset that sets the tone for the rest of the day. One of the biggest benefits is it provides a great reason for our remote workforce and clients to visit the team based at our headquarters, but secretly coming for a dog cuddle!
“We also encourage all families to take their dogs to visit our supported accommodation as there is no better therapy than pet therapy for physical and mental wellbeing.”
Of course, the introduction of anything new into the workplace takes some consideration.
Kathryn Rees, the South Australian Business Chamber’s Industrial Relations expert said “there are some things you need to keep in mind.
“There is a risk of physical harm from bites, so consider that when choosing which dogs should be allowed at work. You will also need to consider if your staff have allergies.
“Consider the wellbeing of the dog. You might be making staff happy but if you don’t have an outdoor area for them to go to the toilet or are on the 23rd floor of an office tower, it’s probably not the best idea.”
All in all, we see great benefits in allowing dogs in the office, if you’ve taken these things into account. If someone on your team brings it up, we encourage you to consider it.
This Friday in support of ‘Bring Your Dog to Work Day’, the South Australian Business Chamber will be running a trial with Nugget (Pug x Jack Russell) and Zuma (Standard Poodle) and we expect there to be lots of happy team members coming together to enjoy their wagging tails. — We will follow up with a progress report on this later.
There are plenty of great initiatives supporting pet-friendly working environments. Guide Dogs PAWGUST campaign will run in August encouraging workplaces to walk or run to raise funds for Guide Dogs.
