June 13th, 2016
The annual Bring Your Dog to Work Day is being held on June 24, 2016, and Basepoint Waterlooville is an official sponsor of the event, being held in aid of the charity All Dogs Matter. But, as licensees who rent managed offices from us know, we don’t just allow dogs in the office on one day each year.
Basepoint is dog-friendly and all our business centres encourage you to bring your best friends to work, rather than leaving them at home on their own. Many pets are welcomed into our flexible serviced offices every day.
Sadly, we are in a minority, since more than 80% of UK workplaces don’t allow dogs, according to a recent survey by pet food company Purina. However, in the same survey, 50% of dog owners said they would like the chance to take their pets to work. Obviously, it isn’t possible to have pets in every type of work environment, depending on the location and type of work being carried out, but in many cases it would be easy to change the rules. Here we look at the benefits of bringing dogs to work.
Health and Productivity Benefits of Dogs in the Workplace
If you are a dog owner, it is often a wrench to leave your pet at home, and it can add to stress if you are left worrying about the animal. Researchers in a US study at Virginia Commonwealth University, who observed staff at a manufacturing firm, found that stress levels among dog owners were higher on days when they didn’t have their dogs with them than on days when they did.
However, it is not always realised that dogs in the office can also reduce stress for people who don’t own dogs themselves. The researchers’ findings suggested being in contact with dogs at work reduces stress hormones and can have a soothing influence both on dog owners and on their colleagues. It seems that talking to or patting an animal can be a calming experience and can help you to keep things in proportion.
Some employers have found that, as well as promoting mental wellbeing, having dogs in the office can also bring physical health benefits. Many office workers in the UK tend to spend too long sitting at their desks, which can contribute to many health problems, including obesity. However, the presence of a dog tends to remind staff to take regular time away from the screen and go out in the fresh air when their pet needs a walk.
As well as boosting health, there is also evidence that bringing dogs to work can boost productivity and staff engagement, with staff questioned in one survey citing higher job satisfaction in dog-friendly workplaces. Of course, the dogs themselves also benefit, since they don’t have to spend long periods alone at home.
Bring Your Dog to Work Day
Just as its name suggests, Bring Your Dog to Work Day encourages employees at businesses across the country to take their four-legged friends into the office, while raising money for good causes. The event was launched in its current form in the UK in 2014 and has become increasingly popular, with publicity on TV and in the national press. It is organised by the pet food company HOWND and is supported by many businesses across the country.
This year’s event will raise funds for the charity All Dogs Matter, which rescues and rehomes stray dogs, as well as pets who are in animal shelters or whose owners are no longer able to look after them.
As well as being an official sponsor for the event, Basepoint’s business centre in Waterlooville, Hampshire is organising an event. The day will be a lot of fun and will include a competition for the best-dressed dog and owner – so use your imagination and come up with a great costume! In addition to cash donations, the centre is hoping to collect two boxes of sealed dog food and other items for the charity.
If you decide to rent managed offices from Basepoint, one of the many advantages is the ability to bring dogs to work, and many small businesses choose to do so. Our dog-friendly atmosphere also goes beyond this, with many dog-related businesses on our sites, such as pet food businesses and pet groomers.
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