To work with a dog
More and more companies are allowing employees to bring their dogs to work. Why go to work with a dog and is it worth it?
Is it good or bad to take a dog to work?
One in five companies in the US allow employees to bring dogs into the office. In Europe, there are slightly fewer such organizations – 12%. There are even fewer of them in Russia, and very few in Belarus. However, the share of dog-friendly offices is growing. And there are reasons for that.
Scientists have found that if there is a dog in the office, it improves the psychological climate, colleagues begin to trust each other more, and the team becomes more united. In addition, the dog helps people cope with distress (“bad” stress). Also, dog owners who have the opportunity to take their pets to work show higher productivity.
However, some leaders do not share this approach. They fear that the dogs will distract employees. Plus, not everyone loves dogs. And some people are allergic to them. So it’s not worth counting on pets in every office in the near future.
Are dogs okay in the office?
At first glance, it seems that yes. After all, the pet does not get bored alone, but spends the day next to its beloved owner. How much better! But only at first glance.
Indeed, there are dogs that enjoy being in the office. They calmly perceive a large number of people around and are friendly to pets, which are brought by their owner’s colleagues. And most of the day such dogs doze next to the master’s chair.
However, not all dogs take office hustle and bustle calmly. Some are frightened and unnerved by scurrying people and other dogs. And in this case, the animals are in a state of severe distress. Which can result in behavioral problems and diseases.
For such dogs, accompanied by owners to work is more torment than joy. And with great pleasure they remain to sleep on a cozy mattress alone, while the owner earns food for them. Especially if the rest of the time a person provides a pet with the proper balance of predictability and diversity.
The decision whether to take the dog to the office, each owner makes their own. And it is useful to take into account the condition of the dog and its perception of the world around.
