The German Animal Welfare Federation and the pet food brand Cesar are jointly calling for participation in the annual "Colleague Dog" campaign day on June 15. The aim of this campaign is to encourage companies to allow dogs in their offices on a trial basis. After all, dog-friendly employers can help to ensure that fewer dogs end up in animal shelters, for example. At the same time, studies show that dogs in the workplace promote employee satisfaction, motivation and the working atmosphere. A win-win-win situation for animals, people and employers - as long as it is implemented carefully and the needs of the animal are taken into account. All participating companies will receive support for the campaign day from the German Animal Welfare Federation and Cesar. They also have the opportunity to present themselves publicly as dog-friendly employers.
"For many dogs, it is ideal if they can accompany their owners to the office. This reduces the risk of dogs being handed in to animal shelters due to a lack of time. At the same time, the chances of placing shelter dogs, whose adoption often fails due to potential adopters working from home, are increasing," says Thomas Schröder, President of the German Animal Welfare Federation. Reservations that dogs cause too much distraction or unrest can be dispelled on the trial day.
"Our primary goal is to create a better world for animals. That's why we actively try to break down barriers to dog ownership. We know that dogs have a positive impact on the working environment and employees. It's not just surveys that show this, we feel it every day in our offices, where dogs have been welcome for years," says Céline Levointurier, Managing Director of Mars Petcare Germany, which is helping to organize the German Animal Welfare Federation's day of action with its Cesar brand.
A full 88% of employees who work in a pet-friendly company would recommend their workplace to others. In non-pet-friendly companies, on the other hand, the figure is only 51 percent1. In addition, employees who often bring their dog to work are less likely to change jobs1. Both can be a supporting factor for companies in the age of skills shortages. In addition, employees who often take their dog to work have above-average work commitment and more energy2.
Ensuring the well-being of the animal is a key success factor: as dogs spend many hours a day resting, they need a place to retreat to in the form of a dog basket or blanket as well as a water bowl and possibly a food bowl. If they do get bored, a dog toy that doesn't squeak can help. During breaks, the dog should once again be the center of attention. If several employees bring their dogs to the office, they can get together for a walk - provided the dogs get along. That way, everyone benefits from the exercise.
HOW COMPANIES CAN TAKE PART
Owners or employees of companies that welcome dogs into the office on the campaign day - or even permanently - can register at www.kollege-hund.de/anmeldung by June 15. All participants will be sent a Cesar surprise package in advance and will receive helpful information material, tips and templates that show how everyday working life with dogs can be successful. Each company then receives a certificate recognizing it as particularly dog-friendly. In the event that dogs are allowed to enrich everyday office life on a permanent basis, the company can use a "dogs welcome" logo for its public image - for example in the entrance area or on its own website. This year, at least one company will also be selected from the participants to have its campaign day filmed by Cesar free of charge. In this way, the company can present itself and its dog-friendly workplace in the video and at the same time serve as a role model to inspire other companies to join in.
Note to editors: An information flyer on the "Colleague Dog" 2023 campaign day, which includes further facts and figures on the positive effects of dogs in the workplace, can be found here.
Sources
1 Nationwide/HABRI study (2018): https://habri.org/research/mental-health/workplace-wellness/
2 Hall SS and Mills DS (2019) Taking Dogs Into the Office: A Novel Strategy for Promoting Work Engagement, Commitment and Quality of Life. Front. Vet. Sci. 6:138: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2019.00138/full
