Wag a Little. Why We Love Dogs in the Office.
Supes adorbs photo courtesy of Devin Edwards.
It seems that Lake Tahoe probably has a larger pet population than people population. We love our dogs and cats in Tahoe and the SJ Marketing team is no exception. As a matter of fact, we love our pets so much, we added them to our website. Just mouse over our photos and find our furry counterparts. http://www.sjmarketing.com
I know I love getting greeted each time I arrive with Maggie’s wagging tail, so I thought I’d do a bit of research about the benefits of having pets in an office… and it was pretty easy to find.
Studies have shown that having pets in the workplace lowers stress, adds comic relief, increases the amount of exercise, increases hours worked and increases job satisfaction. I know our employees and their dogs, Maggie, Nacho, Hazel, and sometimes Stella (my black lab) would agree. They are very happy sleeping next to their owners and getting treats as others walk by.
In an article by Inc.com, three companies tested the benefits by allowing pets. Their employees overall felt lets stress, were more productive, and had more interaction with their colleagues.
“If you are in a position where something is stressful, seeing that wagging tail and puppy smile brightens the day–it can turn around the whole environment.” says Lisa Conklin, Public Relations Manager for Replacements, one of the companies that decided to allow pets.
Some employees also felt that it made the mood in the office more light-hearted and encouraged employees to go out and walk to clear their heads and refocus. “We work long days and long hours,” says Jen Chappell, a customer service representative at Human Movement. “Having dogs around the office makes it fun, and makes us get out of the office and exercise.”
An article in USA Today suggests that there is proof that stress levels lower with pets in the office. The average stress level scores, in companies that have allowed pets, fell about 11% among workers who had brought their dogs to work, while they increased by 70% for those who did not. Plus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cites dozens of animal experts who report that pets can actually decrease blood pressure and cholesterol levels as well as
increase opportunities for exercise and socialization.
Of course, not everyone is a fan of dogs and some are allergic. Plus, there’s always the risk of a bite, lunch being stolen (my dog Stella) or an unintentional playfest gone wrong, but the benefits seem to far outweigh the risks. And I know our office and our employees are much happier having dogs near.
I’m just wondering how much more work we would get if we all wagged our tails when someone walked in the office! Even more, I would guess.
Diana Evans, an avid dog lover and owner of food thief, Stella.
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