Turns out, dogs in the office are not only great for the obvious reasons (daily cuddles, anyone?) but it’s also great for keeping workforces motivated!
Recent studies show that dogs in the office keep people calmer and lead to a happier working environment.
It’s been proven that our cortisol levels drop when we pet a dog. We also produce more of the hormone oxytocin, which helps us to feel more relaxed and happy.
So how does this affect the working environment?
It means that during episodes of stress or pressure (that presentation in front of all your bosses, for example) you can have a quick moment with your office canine, reducing anxiety levels and enabling you to be calmer.
You could similarly find that when you find your mind is starting to wander, a quick pet of your office’s furry friend could help re-motivate you.
It also means workers are more likely to love their jobs because they have something (or someone…!) to look forward to seeing every day.
And it’s not just dogs that have this positive effect. Cats also make us feel better, particularly because they choose whether or not to interact with us, and a cat visiting our desk is a great reminder to have a little break.
And guess what? There’s more! Small animals like hamsters and fish can also give us this feel-good positivity in the workplace. While to a lesser extent, hamsters can help us to feel grounded and distract us from the monotony and stress of our workload, while fish are generally pleasing and calming to watch swimming around in their tanks.
If you haven’t already, it might be time to pull your boss to the side and fill them in on this! Office zoo, anyone?
