How to Implement a Dog Friendly Workplace
Published on August 23, 2007 by Freelance Contributors · No Comments
written by Chen Wong
I run a business from offices in Manchester and Stockport. Ever since I set up I’ve encountered the usual business problems, but I’d always been troubled by a recurring dream where I’m constantly being offered advice on how to improve the health of my employees from lawyers, accountants, IT specialists and other such notable professionals, all of whom appear to be presenting me with the perfect solutions to all of my business problems and I never know which piece of advice to take.
I was on the train in the Summer of 1999 when I met a fellow business person and we got chatting. I told him about my problem with the dream where I never know which person’s advice to take when it comes to making my business more successful.
The man nodded, knowingly, and declared that he could give me a tip that was free to implement and would provide my firm with a means to improve the health of my employees, improve staff productivity, relieve office tension, stimulate communication and strengthen team-spirit amongst staff, reduce absenteeism and break the ice with even the toughest clients who visited our offices, all in one go. “Allow your staff to bring their dogs to work” he said.
Dogs help reduce blood pressure. This is a medical fact concluded by the American Heart Association and supported by The Blue Cross. Dogs stimulate conversation and break down barriers between people, even non-dog-owners. Imagine this, you’re on your way back from work walking through a public park at nine in the evening. A man, walking alone, approaches you and explains he’s new to the area and asks if you have a couple of minutes to fill him in a little on the best places to go, things to see and such like.
Hear that little alarm bell ringing in your head even now? You’ll make an excuse about being late home and that your partner is expecting you (you know, just in case he’s thinking of killing you, you’ve let him know you’ll be missed pretty quickly!) you’ll apologise and hurry on home.
The same guy crosses your path the next day with a Labrador walking by his side and gives you a smile – oh dear – don’t you feel a little bad about presuming he was a potential psychopath now? How could he possibly be, he’s got a Labrador! You see, dogs have a magical capacity to break down communication barriers between anyone in any situation. So why don’t more British businesses take full advantage?
It seems from all the reports I’ve read and my research when writing this article that there are only a tiny minority of UK companies reaping the rewards of a pet friendly working environment whereas the majority of British business leaders take the view that the work is no place for dogs.
Hugely successful companies such as the search engine giant; Google, combine unrivalled commercial success with a pet friendly policy. Eileen Rodriguez, spokesperson for Google, the world’s most successful internet search engine and rival to Microsoft in the IT innovation stakes, explained some of the benefits of the company’s pet friendly policy.
“Allowing dogs in the workplace is a privilege for Google employees, and we regularly receive positive feedback from employees.”
Eileen went on to discuss the importance of keeping employees happy.
“We understand that dogs can be a valued and important part of employee’s lives and their ability to keep their dog in their workplace may enhance the quality of their work life.”
There was a time in industry when the idea of woman being in charge a huge multi-national company or a black person being in a position responsible for a team of white employees was a concept to be joked about by the chaps hanging around coffee machine on a Monday morning. Times have changed. Why then is it so hard to imagine having a dog under your desk when there are obvious, proven benefits for both man and canine?
It promotes responsible pet ownership. As Yvonne Winborn, spokesperson for The Blue Cross explained. “Dogs are social animals and crave company. To leave a dog alone for prolonged periods can cause severe behavioural problems further down the line. We understand that sometimes it is impossible for there to be someone at home all the time.” Pet friendly policies in the work place reduce the instances in which owners have to leave their dogs alone.
It increases productivity. Believe it or not, allowing staff to bring in their dogs has been seen to improve productivity. A survey, conducted by insurer Direct Line, revealed that seventy nine percent of dog owners lied to their bosses or feigned illness when concerned about their pets. That is over three quarters of all dog owners missing work because they were unable to be with their pets at work.
It creates a better working atmosphere. Going back to the fact that the presence of dogs has a calming effect on humans, it is one of the most recognised benefits of having dogs in the work place. Taking a break is all well and good after an intense meeting, but Lori Sanderson of Ontario based law firm Simpson, Deel and Best explains how she goes one better to relieve tension. “About every two hours I take out my Pug, Rocky, for a short stroll around the block. He enjoys it and it helps me refocus.” Regular exercise and fresh air can increase life expectancy in both humans and dogs, it also helps in a working environment.
It can help your business. A tense first meeting with a new client or buyer can be helped by the presence of a friendly dog and wagging tail. Sunset Post Inc, one of Hollywood’s premiere production firms has a strict dogs welcome policy. “We have some clients that bring their dogs into the studio and we have never had any problems or accidents with the dogs or owners! I have brought my Standard Poodle in many many times and feel very comfortable in doing so.” Explained spokeswoman Rosalita Mendes.
Another California based business that benefits from their dogs welcome policy is NorthGlen Chiropractic. Isabel Adams explained how her GSD helps clients. “As patients sign in, Ella rolls on her back and expects a rub on her tummy. This starts a process for the patient for complete wellness, without having to resort to the “quick fix” bandage of highly addictive pain medications.”
The attitudes that many people hold towards dogs is obviously not conducive to an entirely pet friendly Britain. This was emphasised recently by comments made by John Lamb, spokesperson for the Birmingham chamber of commerce and industry, where he told the Birmingham evening mail that “the country had gone barking mad” in response to research by Direct Line that employees were taking up to two weeks off due to the bereavement of a pet. He went on to say “taking time off to this extent when a pet dies is not merited.”
K9 Magazine challenged Mr Lamb about what he said. He responded, “A line needs to be drawn in the sand. Otherwise we will be asking for time off for all manner of things. It is sad when a pet dies but it is not worthy of taking time off.” We then suggested to Mr Jones that less pet related time off would occur if companies allowed employees to bring in their pets. “An office is no place for dogs.
It is a sign of poor ownership if you have a dog but nobody to care for it during the daytime. That is precisely why I did not get one when my children tried to pressurise me into getting a dog. The poor wretch would have been on its own for eight hours out of the day.”
Mr lamb’s views on responsible dog ownership represent a common theme among many employers, but his unsympathetic stance on pet bereavement aroused anger in the dog owning community. Chris Bishop, chairperson of Animal Samaritans, a charity set up to help bereaved pet owners and also to re-home pets, told us that “It is obvious that John Lamb has never had a dog, and therefore he is not in a position to comment. Losing a dog is a unique kind of grief more akin to the loss of a child than a friend.”
At present dog friendly companies are relatively rare, but it is undisputable that those businesses that do welcome dogs are prospering because of, rather than in spite of their attitudes towards good pet ownership.
Five reasons to become pet friendly.
Dogs enable us to overcome communication barriers. Did you ever notice that there are never any awkward silences when there is a dog about?
Dogs relieve tension. The mere presence of a dog is enough to reduce blood pressure.
Enabling a pet friendly policy in the work place ensures that your dog owning employees never feign illness/spend hours worrying if their dog is ill.
Dogs offer us a means to relax. Having a tough day? Grab a lead, get some fresh air and make a dog happy (even if he’s not yours). Demonstrating to your employees that you are considerate of their needs is a good way of making them feel valued. Plus, people like people who like dogs.
A practical guide to making the transition to becoming a pet friendly employer.
Ensure that the building that you work in allows dogs. It is highly unlikely that they won’t. If problems arise, explain that your pet is no less clean and well behaved than a guide dog.
Take into account health and safety issues. Are any of your staff allergic to or afraid of dogs? Consulting with your staff is essential if this is to work. What may seem like a big hurdle could be resolved by something as simple as re-arranging some of the desks so that allergy sufferers are not near to the dog.
Ensure that people near to your business are aware of your plans. Explain to them your logic behind becoming pet friendly. They may even wish to follow your lead.
Always make sure all dogs that will be visiting your offices or place of work are sufficiently well behaved. Preparing a behaviour charter is a good way of marking out what is and isn’t acceptable behaviour.
All dogs should be clean. But be prepared for little mishaps. Even the most saintly of dogs get a little too exited sometimes.
Prevent the dogs getting bored by providing them with toys. But remember, nobody will thank you if you bring in a squeaky to or anything containing a bell!
Take Your Dog To Work Facts:
Animal Charity, The Blue Cross promotes an annual take your dog to work day. Yvonne Winborn told us “we are trying to encourage the idea of taking your dogs to work for the benefits of dogs and their owners. It works for all manner of professions.”
Previous events have seen a whole host of people taking their dogs to work, including a private investigator from Southampton, a milkman, an aero-medic with the Wiltshire ambulance service, a funeral director, a model, a jazz drummer, a travelling church minister, lawyers and teachers. Even celebrities were in on the act with Jamiroquai superstar Jay Kay, presenter Gail Porter and Coronation Street’s William (Ken Barlow) Roache MBE all taking their dogs to work.
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This article was first published in K9 Magazine issue no 9
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Tags: dog friendly workplace, dogs in the workplace, Social Issues
