By Emily Roach, Paws in Work guest blogger.

what should i consider before bringing my dog to work.

Before bringing your dog to work with you, you’ll need to consider the health and safety aspects of the working environment; is the area secure, is there a quiet space for your dog to relax, do you have easy access for toilet breaks?

You also need to think about your dog’s behaviour, would they be able to settle down easily whilst you’re working or do you think they’d be anxious if you left the room momentarily, or distracting to others?

why should dogs be allowed in the workplace, what are the advantages.

There are many reasons why dogs should be allowed to come to work with their owners. The first reason is that being in the company of a cuddly canine can reduce stress for those around him/her, as well as providing comfort for the dog as they receive attention from anyone and everyone in the office!

Some dogs who suffer from separation anxiety may struggle a lot if they’re waiting at home alone for their owner to return from work. This is especially difficult for dog’s whose owners worked at home for a while due to the pandemic and have now transitioned going back into work on a part or full-time basis. Bringing dogs to work can help pacify any separation anxiety the pups may otherwise feel, this also reduces stress for the owner as they do not have to worry about their dog at home on their own.

Having dogs in the office also builds a sense of connection between employees, it draws discussion of common interests in dogs or animals and generally boosts the mood of the office; a happier team will lead to a higher quality of work and productivity!

drawbacks.

There are, however, some drawbacks to bringing dogs into the workplace; it might be very tempting to want to play or cuddle office dogs all day long, which of course can lead to distraction from everyday tasks. Some employees may be allergic to dogs or have a phobia of dogs, which may make them feel quite uneasy if a dog / dogs are being brought into the office on a regular basis, this may lead to conflict of opinion between employees.

Dogs that aren’t fully trained may cause issues within the office, such as disruptive behaviour, damage to equipment or toilet accidents, especially if they haven’t reached full maturity yet. There are also legalities to think about in the event of a dog causing intentional or unintentional injury to any employees.

who should i contact for permission.

You should contact your employer if you wish to seek permission to bring your dog into work with you. They will most likely ask you a variety of questions to ensure the interest of you, your dog and the whole team are fairly considered. Some workplaces form a contractual agreement on bringing pets to work, which clearly establishes the rules and regulations for doing so. It would also be a good move to speak to your team personally and ask them how they’d feel about you potentially bringing your dog into work with you.

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You can browse our MHFA England accredited courses too if you’d like to find other ways to boost your employees’ mental health and general awareness of looking after yours and others mental health.

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