Most offices do not allow bringing pets to work. Although many people have been calling out to have dogs during work hours, there are some complaints about how it would smell and how there is a risk of getting bitten or getting allergies.
However, there are quite a number of reasons as to why bringing dogs to work is helpful to employees and to their productivity in doing their jobs. Here are a few of them:
1. Easy Icebreakers
No one can resist saying hi to a dog (unless you have some kind of trauma or you’re allergic to them. Dogs are naturally friendly and they make the atmosphere of your workplace friendlier as well. This will help co-workers, bosses, and clients loosen up.
2. Stress Reduction
A study conducted by the International Journal of Workplace Health Management found that bringing pets to work had significantly decreased stress levels through the days, whereas workers without pets had high-stress levels. Hugs and kisses from our furry friends tend to just make you feel better about life, even on a bad day.
3. Longer Working Hours
If your boss is impressed by doing overtime voluntarily, then bringing your dog to work is the key! In a survey conducted by the American Pet Products Association, employees prefer to stay longer and work more if they are bringing their pets with them to work.
4. Creative Juices Flowing
In the same survey, it was also found that having your dog along makes people get their creative juices flowing at work. Your dog can help you focus on your creative tasks while decreasing your stress levels. It’s like hitting two birds with one stone!
5. Increased Productivity
If you think dogs will become a distraction in working and will keep you from completing your tasks for the day, you might be wrong. Having your dog around forces you to take short walks and respond to their whines and calls for attention, thus giving you the frequent mental and physical breaks at regular intervals. This gives your mind a breather and makes you more productive during the hours that you are actually working.