Not all employees need a specific day that allows them to bring their dog to work. In our constant change in workplace, more companies are making bring your dog to work day an everyday thing. “According to the Society of Human Resource Management, 7 percent of employers now allow pets to come to work with their owners. That’s up from 5 percent five years ago.” (Noguchi)
Mars, Google, Build-A-Bear, GoDaddy and Amazon are some of the country’s most widely known pet friendly workplaces. Reasons for the increased shift in office policy include, reduced stress, heightened morale, co-worker cooperation, and productivity. “Dogs in the workplace can make a positive difference,” said principal investigator Randolph T. Barker, Ph.D., professor of management in the VCU School of Business. “The differences in perceived stress between days the dog was present and absent were significant. The employees as a whole had higher job satisfaction than industry norms.” (Abraham)
As with everything, there are cons to having pets in the workplace as well. Some cons include the potential for dog scuffles, messes in the office, legal issues, damage to the office, and employee allergies.
Brutus was born on January 7, 2012 in Union, Michigan. He was bred by Ace’s Wild American Bulldogs. He is named after the Ohio State University’s mascot, Brutus Buckeye. Like most dogs, he has some quirks. Brutus is fearful of people. Mr. Burnett thought it would be better for Brutus to be at the office where he would have the chance to interact with people rather than be at home all day by himself. Brutus started his work adventure with Burnett & Williams in 2013. While most employees bring their dog to work to help reduce their own stress, Brutus was the one receiving the comfort by his family at Burnett & Williams..
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- Noguchi, Yuki. Who Let The Dogs In? More Companies Welcome Pets At Work.. 2016. https://www.npr.org/2016/08/08/488586121/who-let-the-dogs-in-more-companies-welcome-pets-at-work. June 15, 2017
- Evans, Lisa. Your Definitive Argument For A Pet Friendly Office. 2014. https://www.fastcompany.com/3037205/your-definitive-argument-for-a-pet-friendly-office. June 15, 2017.
- Abraham, Sathya. Benefits of taking Fido to work may not be far ‘fetched’. 2012. https://www.news.vcu.edu/article/Benefits_of_Taking_Fido_to_Work_May_Not_Be_Far_Fetched. June 15, 2017