Working like a Dog

Proposal by Carla Thomas and Casey Cardenas October 8th 2019

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Table of Contents
Abstract ........................................................................................................................................................ 2
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 3
Discussion ..................................................................................................................................................... 4
Workplace Stress....................................................................................................................................... 4
The Relation Between Dogs and Stress .................................................................................................... 4

Proposed Policy and Implementation ....................................................................................................... 4

Cost ........................................................................................................................................................... 5

Suggested Benefits .................................................................................................................................... 6

Negatives................................................................................................................................................... 6

Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................... 6
Glossary ........................................................................................................................................................ 8
Works Cited .................................................................................................................................................. 9
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Abstract

Work stress is at an all time high for Americans and employers are eager to find ways to

revitalize enjoyment for employees in their jobs. One way that employers are testing is allowing

employees to bring their dogs into work. Amazon has had a policy allowing dogs in the

workplace for twenty years at their headquarters. Their Seattle headquarters have around 800

dogs coming into work on an average day (Morris). Similarly, Ben and Jerry’s has a program

around for almost as long, they have a 4.3 out of 5 star rating as an employer according to

Glassdoor, indicating high employee satisfaction ("The Best Dog-Friendly Companies of 2019").

With so many prominent companies having success with these policies, it would be worth

looking into to allow dogs into the workplace.

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Introduction

Stress in the workplace is a hidden killer of proactivity and employee engagement, two

factors that are highly relevant to a successful and happy workplace. Per studies done on

workplace happiness, 60% of the workforce today is stressed most to all the time – that is well

over half of Americans working (Udemy Team). When an issue is so prevalent as to affect

almost two-thirds of the workforce, solutions needs to be implemented to combat the issue. One

up-and-coming idea for the workplace is a new policy that allows employees to bring dogs to the

workplace.

Dogs have proven benefits on employee mental health and morale. People have

undertaken studies in regards to such factors as social support and stress reduction, task

performance, and social interactions with and without a dog present (Foreman, Glenn and

Meade). The results seem to imply that having a dog around reduces stress levels in people.

While a couple of other articles suggest that dogs increase the frequency of interactions between

people (Calfas). With dogs as a point of connection, employees would be more willing to talk to

others where they may have been too nervous too before. Employees who believe they have a

positive work-life balance are more productive and dedicated to their job by 21% than those who

do not think so (Craig). This indicates that employee happiness is directly relevant to job

performance. By introducing dogs into the workplace as a means of boosting employee

happiness, it would also therefore be boosting productivity.

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Discussion

Workplace Stress

People usually spend at least a third of their day at their job, five days a week. So, it is

not a surprise that most working Americans are stressed; a U.S. study found that 60% of the

workforce is stressed the majority of their time on the clock (Udemy Team). This leads to fatigue

and negative perceptions of the job, as well as burn out. These factors in turn give employees

low focus and motivation to complete the tasks they are given, and no energy to complete them

well.

The Relation Between Dogs and Stress

Studies on humans and their pets have shown that pets may serve as a source of social

support, possibly even more effectively than a significant other or close friend. One study

compared the effects on cardiovascular response in a person with their family pet versus a

spouse. While recording blood pressure and heart rate, the subject was given two tasks:

submerging their hand in ice water and a mental math task. Between being with their pet versus

their spouse, heart rate and blood pressure was significantly lower with their pets. The mental

arithmetic task also had fewer errors in the presence of a pet over spouse (Foreman, Glenn and

Meade) (Better Cities for Pets). With results like these, it is difficult to ignore the positive effect

that dogs have on humans when it comes to stress.

Proposed Policy and Implementation

As the call for dogs in the workplace grows, companies and websites have already

outlined a basic policy that any company can use as a baseline policy to mold to the company’s

specific needs. Better Cities for Pets outlines one such policy on their website. The suggestions

they give on restricting pets include an age limit of after three months old; the pet must be
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cleaned, well-groomed, and fully house trained; the pet must be up-to-date on their shots and free

of any communicable diseases such as fleas; the pet must be obedient and well-trained with no

history of poor behavior; and the pet must be microchipped in case of an incident (Better Cities

for Pets). This covers the dog itself, but that is oftentimes not enough to prevent one from trying

to bring their pet.

This same website also outlines the standards that the employee themselves must meet

when bringing their dog into work. The employee must maintain absolute responsibility over

their pet as well as that pet’s behavior, hygiene, and well-being while the dog is visiting. The

employee must ensure their workspace is completely pet proofed. They must provide their own

pet items such as food, treats, or toys with which to entertain the dogs and the employee must

clean up after them immediately in the face of any accidents. Above all, the employee must make

sure that their dog does not disrupt the workflow (Better Cities for Pets). Putting this

responsibility on the owner as well can help to prevent issues as well.

Even with all these requirements in place, it is likely there will be an incident at one point

or another. In that case, the issue should be managed quickly and effectively. It would be worth

talking to the pet owner to resolve any problems, maybe with a strike system in place. If the dog

creates problems for three times, the owner’s privilege should be revoked to prevent future

problems.

Cost

There will be plenty of start up costs for including dogs in the workplace, such as pet-

proofing the office, and one article suggests that pet costs range $500-$1500 for one pet per year.

While some articles suggest the employer pays for the cost of food, it would be wiser to let the
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employee bring their dog’s specific brand of food to both save on costs and avoid dogs becoming

ill from eating dog food that is not their own ("The Benefits of Bringing Pets to Work").

Suggested Benefits

The allowing of dogs into the workplace could be beneficial to the morale of employees.

Studies examining the effects of dogs in the workplace on employees’ stress showed that

employees who did not bring dogs to work had higher perceived stress than the ones that brought

their dogs to work (Foreman, Glenn and Meade). There have also been articles written on

people’s personal effects, stating that bringing their dog to work has not only helped them lessen

their anxiety, but it has opened them up to forming relationships at work where they otherwise

wouldn’t have (Calfas). These boosts in morale will help in employees not feeling so stressed

and burnt out, aiding in their productivity and perception of their job.

Negatives

This policy is not without its cons. The start up costs could be high. Even with the

policies in place to weed out troublesome dogs, there is the chance that there will be incidents at

work. Insurance for their pets and materials for first aid and clean up should be on hand just in

case. There are also those who are afraid of dogs or uncomfortable around them, in these

situations it would be best to give those employees their own options as well, such as the option

to work remotely or even a section of the office or building where no canines are allowed

(Green). It is critical that no employee is alienated due to allergies or simply disliking dogs.

Conclusion

Studies show that dogs are a creative and positive solution to bringing life back into the

workplace. A dog’s status as a companion provides employees with a comfort for their stress and

a point of connection with their coworkers, both reducing stress and elevating cohesion among a
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team. Although there are costs involved with implementing and maintaining a dog policy in the

workplace, they can be mitigated through careful attention and responsibility on part of the

employees. All in all, despite these certain costs and obstacles, allowing dogs into the workplace

would bring about a new positivity and liveliness to the work environment, therefore boosting

productivity and morale among employees.

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Glossary

• Pet insurance – Pet insurance is a healthcare policy for your pet that reimburses you for

certain medical expenses.

• Productivity – the effectiveness of productive effort, especially in industry, as measured

in terms of the rate of output per unit of input.

• Stress – a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very

demanding circumstances.
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Works Cited
"Ben & Jerry's to Receive 2018 Dog Award". 19 July 2018. 2019.

"The Benefits of Bringing Pets to Work". n.d.

"The Best Dog-Friendly Companies of 2019". 2019. 2019.

Better Cities for Pets. Sample Workplace Pet Policy. n.d.

Calfas, Jennifer. "Why Bringing Your Dog to Work Can Be Great for (Almost) Everyone". 22 June 2018.
2019.

Craig, William. "How Positive Employee Morale Benefits Your Business". 29 August 2017. 2019.

Foreman, Anne M, et al. Dogs in the Workplace: A Review of the Benefits and Potential Challenges. 8
May 2017. 2019.

Green, Alison. "The Office That Became a Circus of Barking Dogs". 17 September 2018. 2019.

Morris, Chris. "7,000 Dogs Are Registered to Come to ‘Work’ at Amazon’s Headquarters". 21 June 2019.
2019.

Udemy Team. "U.S. Study Reveals Rising Stress at Work Driven by Politics, Artificial Intelligence and
Pressure to Master New Skills". 6 June 2017. 2019.