More dogs are wagging their way into the workplace
STUART, Fla. – Leonardo Tufts is the official greeter and head of security at the Hifalutin Chic furniture store.
He has earned such a following here that regular customers stop by to see him even when they’re not shopping for vintage decor.
The 11-year-old Shorkie – a Silky Yorkie and Shih Tzu mix – is among the furry “employees” nationwide that businesses are finding to be a bonus when it comes to making human workers happier on the job.
On Friday, more pups across the country will join their masters at the office, gym and other businesses for the 20th annual
Take Your Dog to Work Day.
Pet Sitters International started the day in 1999 as a way to promote pet adoptions and has seen it grow in popularity, event spokeswoman Beth Stultz said.
“Take Your Dog to Work Day is an amazing annual event that gives us an opportunity to spend a little extra time with our furry family members,” said Chanda Leary-Coutu, director of consumer experience for Wellness Natural Pet Food. “But we’re starting to see more and more offices implement pet-friendly policies year-round.”
❚ What employees want: Only one in five people surveyed by the Tewksbury, Massachusetts-based pet food company works for a business that celebrates Take Your Dog to Work Day. Yet 37 percent of Americans would sacrifice benefits – including vacation time, working from home or a pay raise – to be able to bring their dog to work. Forty-four percent would consider a career move for a pet-friendly workplace, the company found.
“Not only are there proven benefits to having pets at work, like lowered blood pressure, lessened anxiety and increased physical activity, but it also helps attract and retain employees, especially among millennial workers,” Leary-Coutu said.
The Society for Human Resource Management has been tracking businesses’ pet-friendly policies, said Edward Yost, manager of employee relations and development. Data shows
9 percent of employers allow pets at work in 2018, up from 4 percent in 2014.
Yost points to influential employers including Amazon that have petfriendly policies as helping to move the issue forward. More than 6,000 dogs go to work each day at the retail giant’s Seattle-based headquarters.
Lara Hirschfield is Amazon’s Woof Pack manager and oversees the dog program. Her duties include registering the pooches and making sure reception desks are stocked with doggie snacks and that dog parks are wellmaintained. “Having dogs in our offices is an amazing treat,” Hirschfield said. “We are proud this is such a uniquely Amazonian tradition. It’s truly ingrained in our company culture.”
Being pet friendly also gives employees flexibility, said Alison Sullivan, spokeswoman for Glassdoor in Mill Valley, California, named one of America’s most pet-friendly businesses.
“Having a dog-friendly space is a way Glassdoor encourages its employees to bring their whole selves to work and allows them more flexibility in balancing work and their furry family members,” Sullivan said.
❚ Attracting customers: Allowing dogs in the workplace can be good for business. Vero Beach Athletic Club owner Bob Del Vecchio started bringing Maxima, a 4-year-old Staffordshire terrier, to work with him when she was a puppy. On the rare day where she stays home, members at the Florida club ask where she is, Del Vecchio said.
“She’s harmless and sweet,” he said. “Everyone loves petting her.”
Stuart resident Kitt Tufts, owner of the Hifalutin Chic decor store, often finds customers crouched down petting Leonardo.
“Most people are dog people, and they come in for a dog fix,” she said. “They enjoy having him here, and I don’t have to worry about him being home alone.”