It’s a warm, fuzzy feeling at work
dubai — Anyone with a pet at home will say that just a few minutes in their company is enough to melt the stress from a long day right off.
Businesses across the UAE have taken note of the many benefits associated with having a pet, and have welcomed our furry friends into their offices. Jannah Hotels and Resorts is one such company that has turned to eight cats to help its employees unwind and increase productivity in its head office located in Abu Dhabi.
Nehme Imad Darwiche, founder and CEO of Jannah Hotels and Resorts, initiated the office cat policy in 2015. “Studies reflect that nurturing pets in an office environment increases office communication and lowers the stress of its professionals significantly. We identify as a team that harbours a deep love of felines and consider our pets as a vital part of the Jannah family,” he said.
The eight furry felines help to keep the employees cheerful and soothed. Guests visiting the offices are also welcome to take a few moments to play with the friendly cats who, employees assure, are quick to warm up to all.
“In an industry like tourism and
Studies reflect that nurturing pets in an office environment increases office communication and lowers the stress of its professionals significantly Nehme Imad Darwiche, founder and CEO of Jannah Hotels and Resorts
hospitality where long hours are common, having pets around helps everyone maintain a positive and motivated attitude. Whether our cats are dozing on our laps, lounging on a desk, or peeking at us from around our computers, their presence is accompanied with a healing effect,” added Darwiche.
Another Dubai office that has been the focus of a lot of attention online is the Pomegranate Institute, which earlier in the year adopted a three-year-old rescued cat and named him Seedy to match the name of the institute. The cofounder of the institute, Marie-Alex Saaeva, has said that the move has not only helped the employees unwind but has also increased the team’s productivity. Having Seedy in the institute, as a team building initiative, has contributed to the team a ‘family’ feel, which has also raised the happiness quotient at work, she said.
The trend of bringing your pets to work is not a new one, with several companies and businesses around the world encouraging employees to do so. Global giants Google, Build-A-Bear, Oracle and Activision Blizzard are all well known examples that are encouraging other companies to follows their example and allow pets on site. In many countries, animals ‘working’ at specially created ‘jobs’ have become online superstars. One such superstar was Tama, the feline station master and operating officer at Kishi Station in Japan.
Her appointment to the role led to an increase in passenger traffic numbers, with many visitors coming to the station hoping to get a glimpse of her wearing her famous work hat. When she passed away in the summer of 2015, she was succeeded by her deputy, Nitama, another beautiful feline.
— rohma@khaleejtimes.com