Could Lenny the Labrador really be the path to improved employee morale, reduced stress, better work-life balance and greater company loyalty? Research shows that employees and employers can reap big benefits from dogs in the office. According to a survey by Banfield Pet Hospital, 7 in 10 employees and HR decision makers agree that allowing pets in the workplace has a positive impact on employees.
“Dogs in the workplace can encourage employees to take breaks and relieve or even prevent tense situations,” says Emily Neff, a Director in CBRE’s Workplace practice. Today, about 9% of workplaces in the U.S. allow pet owners to take their dogs to the office, according to the Society of Human Resource Management—up from 4% in 2014. For example, a Seattle-based e-commerce company has more than 6,000 dogs joining their owners for work every day.
In celebration of National Dog Day (August 26), we’re digging into some of the perks of having pups at work.