Dogs increase satisfaction in the office, and not just for masters
Published: Wednesday, Jun 19th 2024, 15:40
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Dogs in the office are a political issue. Some employers are strictly against their employees bringing their pets to work. However, a survey published on Wednesday shows that dogs improve the working atmosphere - not only for their owners, but also for other employees.
When Simon needs a break from his work in the theater, he goes for a walk with "production dog" Angus. Afterwards, he is fit again and motivated to spend hours adjusting lighting positions. Simon is not Angus' master, but the dog at work is an important buddy for him.
Simon is one of many Swiss employees who appreciate "their" dog at work. According to a survey conducted by market research institute Ivox for Mars Switzerland on the occasion of "Take Your Dog To Work Day" on Friday, the majority of Swiss employees rate the presence of dogs in the office as positive.
Seven out of ten respondents said that dogs reduce general stress levels. Among dog owners, 80 percent of respondents were of the same opinion. In addition, around two thirds of employees say that dogs in the office are positive for the office atmosphere, satisfaction, work-life balance, well-being and also for interaction between colleagues.
Those who already work in dog-friendly offices are even more likely to share this opinion, according to the press release. And as with Patrick, the majority of respondents believe that dogs have a positive influence on breaks. Three quarters of employees said that their breaks were better with a dog, while the figure for dog owners themselves was even higher at more than 93 percent.
Rules for office work with dogs
According to the press release, however, it is often not clear whether dogs are allowed in the office or not. One in five people do not know whether dogs are allowed in the workplace. Just under half of employers also have no clear rules on this.
However, around a third of employers have a so-called "dog policy". These are rules that define the interaction between dogs and humans in the workplace.
According to the press release, employers who have not yet addressed the issue would also do well to introduce such a "dog policy" and allow dogs in the office. Half of those surveyed are convinced that this would increase employee loyalty. A third also stated that they would come to the office more often if dogs were allowed there.
For the study, Ivox surveyed 1,000 working people from Switzerland and students who will be entering the job market in one to two years' time at the beginning of May, according to the press release. It is representative in terms of region, gender, age and education.
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