Why are there more and more companies adopting the pet friendly policy?

A large number of studies shows that allowing pets in the work environment has many benefits for employees and companies, especially in the areas of health and productivity. This initiative was born in the United States in 2008, when Google and Amazon decided to include in their organizational policies the presence of dogs and cats inside their facilities to make their workers happy.

Leer en español: Perros contra las malas pulgas: convenza a su jefe de que lo deje llevar a su peludo a la oficina

According to the Affinity Foundation, the National Center for Preventive, and Disease Control Programs, there are four reasons why this proposal is favorable:

1. It improves communication: a study by Virginia Commonwealth University studied several American companies and revealed that taking pets to work favors the creation of conversations and increases the interaction between employees.
2. It encourages creativity and productivity: it is proven that pausing during the workday helps to promote the performance and accuracy of employees. Therefore, a short walk with pets will help people reduce their stress level and, consequently, improve their health.
3. Stress levels are lowered: in a study published by the Virginia Commonwealth University, saliva samples were analyzed from three different groups of employees. On the one hand, those who had brought the dog to the office and those who had left the dog at home and, on the other hand, those who did not have pets. Hormonal indicators of stress response were sought and it was pointed out that the reduction of the level of stress only occurs in dog owners who took their animal to the office.
4. The dog will appreciate it: the benefits of this measure extend beyond the employees and owners. Pets will be much happier because, being sociable animals, they do not have a good time alone.

There are some recommendations that the company Purina gives so that the visit of your pet is a pleasant experience for all:

• Do not forget that it will not be good for everyone to have a dog nearby. They can be people who are allergic or who are afraid of dogs. Therefore, it is essential that dogs that are brought to the office have a good behavior. In addition, dogs should be properly dewormed and not suffer from contagious health problems.
• Make sure you are not too busy with meetings, since you should not leave your pet unattended for long periods of time.
• If there are more animals, it is better to present them first outside the building so that they become familiar. This helps alleviate territorial problems.
• Remember to take food, prizes, and water for the pets’ visit to the office.

Latin American Post | Luisa Fernanda Báez
Translated from “Perros contra las malas pulgas: convenza a su jefe de que lo deje llevar a su peludo a la oficina”