Ahead of Bring your Dog to Work Day this Friday 23 June, the CIPD, the professional body for HR and people development carried out research which found that 42% of HR professionals say they would consider a more permanent policy allowing dogs in their workplace.
Commenting on the initiative, Rachel Suff, Employment Relations Adviser at the CIPD, said:
“This Friday, employers have the opportunity to allow their employees to bring their dog to work for the day. Bringing a dog to work has been a successful, permanent setup for many organisations in the UK, and studies have shown that dogs can help to reduce stress and improve people’s well-being. However, it won’t work for every workforce and workplace, so before agreeing to embracing this initiative in their organisation, or even something more permanent, employers must consider all of the implications.
“Firstly, all employees need to be on board with having dogs in the office. If some employees are afraid of dogs or are allergic to them, you need to take this into account, as their well-being is most important, and the reason behind this initiative in the first place. The simple answer is to ask employees directly – an intranet poll or voting via a staff email will help you understand whether it is an initiative that will work in principle. Staff will also feel reassured that you’re taking their views and well-being into account.
“It’s also important to consider the welfare of the dogs themselves. Is your office environment set up for coping with multiple dogs? Are there places for them to sit and lie down? Is there plenty of ventilation and bowls for water? Is there somewhere nearby where they can be taken for a walk and some fresh air? Each dog owner will need to take responsibility for the well-being of their dog throughout the day, but employers should be able to send a dog home if it is proving disruptive.”
More information about Bring your Dog to Work Day can be found here.
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