Many of us face a tough battle every morning as we have to leave the house and say “goodbye” to our pets. That could be about to change. What if we could bring our pet with us for the day? It’s time to learn if pets in the workplace increase or decrease productivity.
Keeping calm
Many pets have a calming influence on their owners that we just might need when we’re in the middle of a hectic schedule or have yet another email asking to change a deadline. Thankfully, having our pets by our side could be all we need to take a moment to calm down and gather our thoughts. However, it’s important to ensure that no one else has a fear of pets that could make them feel more anxious instead.
Reducing stress
Believe it or not, but stroking our pets has been linked to many health benefits, including lowering our blood pressure and decreasing our heart rate. Plus, having our pets at work means many employees will spend less time worrying about their animal while they are out of the house and could keep more focused on work instead. To top it off, playing with our pets for a few minutes could help remove all those stressful thoughts before focusing back on the ask.t
Maintaining a balance
It can be tough to try and keep a work-life balance. After all, many of us spend hours sitting at our desk without taking a break while others rush to finish a project in case our pets need us at home. Having our pets at work means that we are often reminded to get up and take a walk to help keep our four-legged friends happy while pets’ comic relief can help to make heading into work a more enjoyable experience.
Improve productivity
Thankfully, it turns out that having our pet in the workplace could be one way to help improve productivity. They often help to trigger interactions which, in turn, could lead to completing more projects or building more workplace friendships. Plus, lower stress levels and increased exercise both help lead to less sick days as well as healthier employees in the long run. It’s a win-win situation.
A time and place
Of course, there is a time and a place for bringing pets into the workplace. Working in a kitchen might not be the best environment for our furry friend while life in a busy factory could be unsafe for our pets. Plus, having a pet who gets anxious around others or one that might be aggressive toward strangers might not be the best addition to an office if we want to make sure that everyone is safe and happy - including our pets.
Although there is a time and a place for our pets to come into the workplace, it looks as though there could be a host of benefits for offices that have a pet policy in place. It might not be long before everyone is reaping in the rewards of having some four-legged friends at work.
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