Loads of people in Britain are dog owners (and even more are dog lovers). We say hello to dogs on the street, share viral videos of puppies and love making friends with them. With this in mind, today we’re exploring the key benefits of dog-friendly offices.
In London, an increasing number of office spaces are being opened up to our canine friends as dog owners solve pet-care issues by bringing their companion to work. We’ve written a guide to the benefits of dog-friendly workplaces.
The benefits of dog-friendly offices
Encourages employees to be healthy
There are a number of health benefits to having our furry friends in the office. Dogs require at least one walk a day, and sometimes more. This means that someone in the office will also have to get moving and go for a walk. In jobs where you’re sitting down all day, this provides the potential for gentle exercise, as well as fresh air.
Takes the pressure off dog owners
Dogs are super-friendly animals and don’t cope well when they are left alone for a long time. This can cause problems for dog owners who need to be at work for most of the day. Allowing employees to bring their dogs into work will take the pressure of them to find alternative care or risk upsetting their dog. Many flexible office spaces and coworking offices are dog-friendly, which is great for pet owners.
Helps to reduce stress
While dog-friendly offices are not the answer to serious workplace stress, the presence of a dog might help to reduce low-level stress within the workplace. Some research suggests that playing with dogs can help to boost your mood, which may lead to a happier, calmer mindset at work. It’s a win-win situation!
Brings the team together
An office dog can be an incredibly powerful bonding tool. In a lot of offices, people like to keep themselves to themselves, but how would this change if suddenly a pet was introduced to the workplace? My bet is that suddenly everyone would want to be where the dog is and, well I never… they just so happen to be spending time with one another in the process! It will also become a shared interest among employees, creating a new point of conversation.
If you like the sound of dogs in the workplace, why not try volunteering?
Volunteering with animals can be a great way to do something proactive and fulfilling outside of the workplace. There are loads of dog shelters and animal charities, which are always looking for new volunteers. Focusing on something outside of work is a great way to help with wellbeing. We’re big animal lovers at Making Moves and a goal of ours this year is to get on board with helping some animal charities. Stay tuned!
Look out for more articles about workplace wellbeing on our blog! You are always welcome to get in touch with us if you have any questions.
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