Strap in, bitches, cause we’re about to get into a story that covers two hugely emotional issues for me: my love of dogs, and my loathing of working in an office. More companies are allowing dogs in the office. Be it a small start-up, or big players like Google and Ben & Jerry’s, companies are opening their cubicles to canines, in part as a way to tilt the scales towards in-office work days for hybrid schedules. JLL has some reporting on the benefits of bring-your-doggo-to-work days, factors to consider, and tips for making the system work:
A lure back to the office: Household names like Salesforce, Uber, Ben & Jerry’s and Google (Alphabet) are welcoming pets — mainly dogs — into their offices. The flexibility is one of the perks more companies are using among hybrid work models and efforts to get people back in the workplace. On average, JLL estimates employees now spend 3.1 days of the week in the office. … “More companies are opening their doors to dogs, and that’s coming at a time of serious discussion about the workplace, its appeal to hybrid employees and occupancy levels,” says Emma Hendry, People Experience Managing Director for JLL Consulting. “Being dog-friendly offers companies a big opportunity to engage employees and potentially boost that days-per-week average,” says Hendry.
Dogs reduce stress levels! There are practical benefits for dog owners, like not having to check the dog camera to see if things are ok back home, or pay a dog sitter. But it’s not just about convenience for dog-owners themselves. There are wellbeing benefits. A study by the Harvard Business Review, University College London and the National University of Singapore found that pets contribute to a more pleasant and social work environment. “A dog under a desk may go unnoticed, but equally it can spark new conversation between colleagues and greater interaction. It’s a great icebreaker,” says Hendry. “Stress levels have been proven to lower.”
Considering all factors: Many large employers have blanket no-dog policies, often due to feasibility, given the scale of their workforce and size of their workplace. “There’s of course a valid point that for some: it could affect focus and concentration,” says Hendry. “Impact on colleagues who aren’t dog lovers, or who may even be allergic, should also be considered.”
Dogs & offices of all sizes: In Seattle, around 10,000 dogs are registered to come to the office at a major e-commerce firm, which also offers dog-friendly features such as paw wash stations. Tech giant Google has also long been a “dog company,” putting its policies into its code of conduct well before the pandemic ushered in a new wave of dog owners. But Hendry says smaller companies may find it easier to welcome dogs into the workplace. “At start-ups, it’s often the founder who has a dog, which then becomes a de facto office mascot,” she says. “There’s a nimbleness to smaller firms and that may mean less formal structure is needed.”
Do it right: “Many companies already use trial days to assess behavior in advance of giving employees permission to bring their dog to work,” Hendry says. “I’ve even heard of a three-strikes and you’re out rule, while one major European corporate uses a professional dog trainer to initially assess dogs’ behavior before giving the green light office attendance.” Workplace booking systems, where companies can avoid an overcrowded office on, typically, a Wednesday, are already in place. “Factoring dogs into such booking systems could be an option if companies need to avoid their workplaces becoming pooch heavy,” Hendry says.
Returning readers will know that I am truly, madly, deeply gone on dogs, and have been in a committed 10-year relationship with my rescue chihuahua-dachshund mix, My Girl. That being said, the legal brain in me recognizes the potential for problems. Though I will never fathom how/why, there are those who are not dog people. And they have rights too. I guess. Overall I foresee lawsuits and/or settlements in the future, but in my heart I am all for this! I have long thought that My Girl would be a much-needed addition to our office. And I’m not the only one; many colleagues have requested her presence. I imagine her walking files back and forth to people as needed. It would be so good.
Sadly, my official day job title is assistant to a boss who, like Martha Stewart, is on a mission to destroy hybrid work. It’s for us, he says! Because everyone works better in the office, he says (despite research proving otherwise). And why must I be there full time? To get his coffee, answer the phone, operate the scanner, and hand him a folder every now and then (on top of my other projects). He actually said to me with a straight face that the terrible problem with work-from-home was that he got used to doing things on his own. He can’t let go of this old school vision of the workplace, and that certainly doesn’t include allowing our dogs to come. And so I plot my escape, with Google or Ben & Jerry’s now at the top of the list. Thank you for listening to my lament.
Photos credit: Samuel Regan Asante, Petr Magera and Clay Banks on Unsplash, Lum3n, Apunto Group Agencia and Atul Mohan on Pexels
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