Do you ever think about what your dog would choose to be when they grow up? A lawyer? A waitress? A writer? A psychologist? Oh, the possibilities are endless! While we may never know our pups full career potential, we can certainly give them one day (and sometimes more depending on where you work) if we participate in Take your Dog to Work Day.
June 26th is officially Take your Dog to Work Day and some may be celebrating the whole last week of June! This pet holiday was started in 1999 to celebrate dogs and encourage the adoption of dogs from different rescue organizations. When it first started there were only about 300 companies that participated and since then the number has grown exponentially!
Pets are now being more widely accepted in the workplace, as it has been proven to be a perk that employees really enjoy being given. Employers have found significant health benefits to people owning pets…and who doesn’t want healthy employees?! USA Today reports that Proctor & Gamble, Amazon, and Google are among the few companies that let you bring your dog to work every day, not just on this holiday.
Some studies have shown that allowing pets in the workplace has its benefits. Some of those mentioned are:
Help reduce stress: How can you NOT feel less stressed looking at a sweet puppy or dog? In addition to just seeing them or giggling at something silly they are doing, there is something oddly calming about taking a break from whatever you are working on to pet a dog for a few minutes.
Encourages longer work hours: This may not be the most exciting thing for an employee, but it is certainly beneficial for the employer! Pet owners typically leave work sometime early in the evening to get home, feed their pets, and spend time playing or walking them. However, if their pet is at work with them, they may feel compelled to stay until their reports are finished or the project is done.
Increased camaraderie: Cute puppies and dogs give people something to talk about. During their planned breaks your coworkers may take their dog for a quick walk outside or around the office, whereas without pets in the workplace they may work through their break or get on the phone. This additional walking around and conversing may bring employees closer together and build team unity.
So, if you were looking for some good arguments to give to your employer as to why you should be able to bring your pup to work every day, this might just get you started (especially when they hear about you possibly working longer hours!)
(Souce: USA Today, http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/06/18/friday-take-your-dog-to-work-day/10592435/, http://www.petmd.com/dog/slideshows/care/benefits-of-pets-in-workplace)