With today (21 June) being Bring Your Dog To Work Day we spoke to HR professionals on their opinion on having a canine friend being a new addition to their team, with most thinking it is a strong idea.
It has been said by people in HR that taking part in Bring Your Dog To Work Day, can reduce stress and increase morale for both worker and dog alike.
Amanda Augustine, career advice expert at TopCV, Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC) and a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPCW) said:
While ‘Bring Your Dog to Work’ Day can certainly be disruptive to the office, its benefits far outweigh the drawbacks. Studies by the University of Missouri-Columbia and the Virginia Commonwealth University have found that having dogs in the office can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, increase job satisfaction and improve employee morale.
While the novelty of having dogs in the office will be cause for decreased productivity, the boost employers will receive in employee morale is certain to compensate for one day of distractions. That said, the Virginia Commonwealth University study found that dog-friendly workplaces – those that allow employees to bring their dogs to work on a regular basis, rather than just one day a year – actually experienced increased levels of productivity after the initial novelty has worn off.
This opinion is bolstered by numerous others in the HR sector, with some businesses embracing the day but keeping things in moderation.
Claire Crompton, who manages HR at The Audit Lab said:
We’re definitely a puppy loving business with most of us having dogs, and like all dog owners I know the stress that comes with leaving a beloved pet at home all day alone, as well as the stress on the animal, so we are 100% on board with bring your dog to work day. I always notice an uplift in staff morale when we allow the staff to bring their dogs in.
We don’t allow dogs to be in the office full time as a morale boost can soon become a distraction for their owner having to keep taking them out for a walk, but we encourage the staff to let their dogs come in when they need to.
Juliette Mullen, who holds over two decades’ experience in HR at Hewlett-Packard, Manpower UK and Dialog Semiconductor also shares the opinion that dogs in the office is a good addition. She believes that depending on the environment, it’s good for the dogs as they are sociable animals and do not do well being left on their own, but its also great for the owners as it helps to build morale in the workplace.
However, not everyone is a fan of this day or dogs in general.
Katie Fletcher, senior HR adviser at Howarths, said:
Personally, I do not think bringing dogs to work is a great idea. While I appreciate there can be many benefits such as increased employee performance, an improved company image and a reduction in employee stress levels, there needs to be a consideration that not all employees are pet lovers and allowing dogs into the workplace is not suitable for certain places of business or professional settings.
Interested in wellbeing in the workplace We recommend the Workplace Wellbeing and Stress Forum 2019.
Darius is the editor of HRreview. He has previously worked as a finance reporter for the Daily Express. He studied his journalism masters at Press Association Training and graduated from the University of York with a degree in History.
