If you follow us on social media, then you know that we are a dog-friendly office. Mostly because I handle our social postings and I have a soft spot for the dogs. So, I guess you can thank me for filling your newsfeeds with all the cuteness.
Today, I decided to step away from my normal blog writing on seasonality and digital advertising to write about our adorable furry co-workers. As great as dog-friendly offices are, it can also be a controversial subject. What happens if someone is allergic? Don’t dogs smell? Aren’t they distracting?
As someone who doesn’t have a pet, but really wants a dog, I love coming to work to hang out with everyone else’s dog. And I’m not the only one at our office. Over the past couple of months, we have started to feature our employees on social media so that our partners and followers can learn more about each individual person at AdCellerant. The majority of our staff have mentioned “the dogs” in their responses to why they enjoy working here.
Here at AdCellerant we maintain a culture that encourages our employees to be their best, work hard and have fun. Having a dog-friendly office plays into that.
Dogs help reduce day to day stress
Have you ever had one of those days where you feel like you made no dent in your list of tasks? It happens. When you are busy, you are busy. But when there are pups in the office, you naturally find yourself seeking out a dog to give some quick pets to. What does that do? Gives you a break from your laptop and screens, allows you to briefly decompress, which gives you a chance to refocus.
And sometimes the dogs just know when you are stressed and need some TLC. They will stop by your desk and give you a little nudge to see if you are okay. Our furry co-workers enjoy walks. And they won’t complain if you take a 5-minute break from work to take them for a walk around the block.
They also find ways to make us laugh and say “aww” at the same time. Buffy likes to make a grand entrance every morning prancing in full of sass. Miles will go from playing Goldilocks with all the dog beds to bounding around the office in excitement. Jackson will sneak up on you and watch your every move as you eat a taco in hopes that you will share. Champ will be teaching the other dogs how to play tug-a-war or a game of chase to wear all the pups out. Or you will look up and see Hendrix cuddling another dog while they nap.
Opportunity to connect with your co-workers
We live in Colorado. It feels like everyone has a dog. And almost everyone at our office has one. It has been a great conversation starter, especially as our team continues to grow. We have doubled our staff in the last year which makes it harder to get to know each individual. But you can walk up to pretty much anyone in the office and start a conversation about pets. Which leads to conversations on additional topics and gives you the opportunity to learn more about that co-worker.
Dog-friendly offices usually have additional perks
If you have ever worked for a dog-friendly company, they most likely didn’t have a corporate atmosphere feel. Places that focus on company culture like to instill additional perks to help keep morale high. Some of these perks could include flexible work schedules, being able to work remotely when you have a cold, snacks, and team activities.
At AdCellerant we like to provide our staff with healthy snacks, with some sweet and salty snacks mixed in. We recognize everyone’s birthday with a monthly birthday celebration. And recently we started taking one day a month to focus on our employees’ mental health and team bonding. We close the office for the afternoon for a scheduled group activity.
Setting rules and expectations
For dog-friendly offices to work, there has to be rules and expectations in place. Some of those that we have considered in our office…
- Having a max on how many dogs can be in the office at once
- Making sure your pup is signed up on the dog calendar
- Dogs must be friendly to both humans and other dogs
- You must be able to clean up after your dog
- Know when the dogs are getting a little too rowdy and need a break
- Letting interviewers know that we allow dogs in the workplace
Our furry co-workers have been a great addition to our open office space and culture. They help lighten the mood and give us an opportunity to step away from our screens. They are available for all the pets and snuggles to reduce stress and brighten our day!
