In an age where wellness and productivity are at the top of the workplace agenda, ensuring staff are happy has never been more important.
According to new research from Workthere, almost half of UK office workers (44 per cent) think having a dog in the office would be beneficial to productivity. The study of 2,000 UK office workers also revealed that a third (34 per cent) of respondents thought that having a dog in the office would increase their happiness, and a quarter (25 per cent) thought it would improve their work/life balance.
Almost half (43 per cent) of respondents aged 18-24 say they would be more attracted to a workplace that allowed dogs, with one in five of respondents currently in jobs that allow dogs.
In contrast, the poll showed that, although 45-54 year olds are the most likely age range to own a dog (41 per cent), 80 per cent of them have never worked somewhere where they are allowed to bring their dog to work.
When it comes to the great gender divide, Workthere’s research shows that 32 per cent of women are more likely to be attracted to a dog-friendly office compared to 24 per cent of men, and 80 per cent of men who said they would be less attracted to a dog-friendly office said they think that having a canine colleague is inappropriate (versus 64 per cent of women).
Head of Workthere, Cal Lee, comments:
“Whilst we know that office dogs aren’t for everyone, it’s clear that some do feel it will boost their overall productivity, with the younger generation in particular being more attracted to the idea. This could be something for employers to bear in mind looking forward. We have seen a real blurring of lines between domestic and traditional office space as staff continually seek a better work and life balance, particularly in the co-working and serviced office sector and the inclusion of dogs could be part of this.”
“As part of our research we have launched the search for the nation’s top office dog, and we look forward to seeing the photo entries”.
Rebecca joined the HRreview editorial team in January 2016. After graduating from the University of Sheffield Hallam in 2013 with a BA in English Literature, Rebecca has spent five years working in print and online journalism in Manchester and London. In the past she has been part of the editorial teams at Sleeper and Dezeen and has founded her own arts collective.
