You may think an office full of furry friends would be a distraction; however, according to PetCo, numerous studies show that bringing pets to the office can help improve productivity and employee engagement. If you’re an employer, consider allowing well-behaved animals in your workplace for the following reasons:
Improvement to Employee Health: With the stress and pressure that work can sometimes bring, the presence of animals, including even fish in tanks, can help reduce heart rate and blood pressure. Studies have also shown that dog and cat parents made fewer animal doctor visits than non-pet parents.
Stress Reduction: A study of pet-friendly businesses found that employees’ self-reported stress levels declined when their dogs were present, while stress increased for non-pet parents and for pet parents who did not bring their dogs to work.
Increased Focus and Creativity: Dogs remind us to get up and take breaks, and most of the time that means taking Fido for a walk outside. Research shows that walking, especially outdoors, can increase creative ideation in real time and shortly after, which have been shown to improve employee morale, productivity and focus.
Enhanced Socialization Among Co-Workers: Pets can act as catalysts for human social interactions. In fact, just being in the presence of pets can increase the frequency of social interactions, especially with strangers, because they can be a conversation starter.
Improved Productivity: When pet parents don’t have to worry about rushing home to their pets for bathroom or exercise breaks, they may be more likely to stay and enjoy office happy hours or other activities.
