Who’s a Good Boy? Three Benefits of Allowing Dogs at Work

We call them man’s best friend (and woman’s, too). They’re furry, and sweet, and they think you’re the greatest thing to happen to since the invention of oxygen. There’s no more loyal companion than a dog. For many people they’re family, plain and simple.

At KME, we love dogs. So much that we allow our team to bring them to the office. After all, we humans have our jobs, our friends, and our lives outside of our homes. Our wonderful furry friends often only have us. Leaving them at home for 8-10 hours a day is hard on pet owners and pets alike.

Besides, dogs provide a massive amount of social and psychological benefits to the humans around them. Who says these benefits can’t transfer to the workplace? Here are three benefits of having dogs in the workplace.

Dogs Improve Employee Morale and Retention

Dogs are basically little tail-wagging balls of snuggly happiness. In fact, a survey from Banfield Pet Hospital showed that 93% of human resources professionals reported increases in employee morale as a result of allowing dogs at work. Additionally, 91% reported that dogs helped improve loyalty and retention among employees.

Those numbers are nothing to slouch at. Dogs bring with them an aura of patience, loyalty, and comfort. Just try not to smile while Reggie the Corgi is being such a good boy sitting next to the desk across from yours. We dare you not to pet him.

Dogs  Promote a Greater Sense of Connection Among Employees

Dogs can act as mediators for employees to get to know each other better. This can lead to increased productivity and team building. It also gives employees a greater sense of personal integration—their homelife into worklife—creating additional opportunities to connect and bond with coworkers over the things that matter to them.

Simply put, dogs help bring people together, and provide a massive sense of relaxation and rapport. Millennial employees in particular view having their dogs at work as a full-on job benefit, and report higher levels of job satisfaction when their furry friends work with them.    

Dogs Create a Greater Sense of Work-Life Balance

We’ve all been there. Caring about your work sometimes means focusing on it at the expense of life outside the office. Most employees are constantly searching for a sense of work-life balance.

Allowing dogs in the workplace helps manage this sense of balance. It allows employees to bring a valuable part of their home life with them to work. It also encourages them to take breaks to get outside so their pets can conduct their own “business.”

These breaks provide mental resets and help employees feel like they’re engaged in both areas of their lives at the same time. They also mean that employees aren’t rushing off at 5:30 out of guilt that their fur-kids need to be let out.  

Having Dogs at Work Is All About Common Sense and Balance

We’re not saying there aren’t potential hurdles to allowing dogs in the workplace. Of course there are. But with a properly designed pet policy and a little courtesy among coworkers, they can be a wonderful addition to the office culture.

Whether that means having them in the office once a month or every day (or anything in between), the benefits are too plentiful not to consider. Not only do the owners themselves reap those benefits, their dog-loving coworkers do too.

A happier, more connected workplace is a more productive workplace. Dogs at work are a great way to further improve your business culture!