Animals in the office: clever idea or not?

It is no longer uncommon to have a temporary colleague named Jack or Charlie. And he’s often quite furry. In Belgium, dogs are welcome in 21% of workplaces. And our neighbors are clearly onto something… What if we occasionally invited pets to the office? 

Benefits of animals in the office

Have you ever encountered a goat in a meeting? At Edenred, we have. During remote meetings, we actually “rented” a goat that had its own camera. The idea was to add a fun touch to sometimes lengthy or overly focused meetings.  The presence of animals in the office indeed offers real benefits to a company in several areas.

All surveys indicate that employees feel happier when an animal is present at work. Stress is reduced, motivation increases, and the overall atmosphere is generally better. The impact is positive and even stimulates productivity. It can also foster better interaction between colleagues and clients.

Physically, being around an animal causes our bodies to produce neurochemical substances such as endorphins, dopamine, and oxytocin in our brains, making us feel happy.

Best practices for a positive experience

• The first thing to ensure a positive experience is to respect everyone’s wishes. Some employees do not like animals, and that is their right. Others may have allergies. Therefore, it is essential to consider these two factors regarding the presence of pets in the workplace.
• Additionally, not all types of animals can be brought to work. While bringing a dog may be joyful, introducing a dromedary may pose more issues. Furthermore, not all locations are suitable for animals for obvious reasons of safety and hygiene (hospitals, nursing homes, etc.).
• It is also important to prepare for the arrival of a pet by adjusting the workspace as necessary.
• One should avoid having too many animals together in the same room and, obviously, avoid “mixing” certain animals that do not get along.
• Finally, we should not overlook the fact that having an animal present can create additional work, such as cleaning (time should be set aside for the animals to relieve themselves).

A global overview of what exists 

We probably all know about Workdog Day (end of June), which invites companies worldwide to open their doors to dogs for a day. Many companies participate. In the United States, since 1999, there has also been “Take Your Dog to Work Day,” which occurs on a Friday each month.

There are other original concepts as well. In Japan, where cats hold a special place in the hearts of its inhabitants, the IT company Ferray decided to focus on “purring therapy.” For several years now, several cats have made themselves at home in their offices and roam around the company, which has effectively become their home. Ferray also offers a 5,000 yen (about 32 euros) bonus to any employee who adopts a stray cat. In Australia, it’s the company Uber that focuses on human-cat interactions. They recently launched a service in six cities in Australia: UberKittens, allowing lunchtime delivery of cats for a 15-minute cuddle session! This service was created with help from animal shelters, and part of the proceeds generated is donated to partner volunteers.

The legislation on the matter

Before jumping into “animal-friendly” days, it’s essential to know what the law says in our country. First of all, there’s no obligation for companies to allow the presence of animals. It is a choice left to management and is not a worker’s right.

So, no obligation; however, if one wishes to proceed, animal welfare conditions must be respected: designated space, sufficient ventilation, and provision of food and water. Additionally, GAIA, the animal rights organization, has created a model work regulation to facilitate the necessary supervision of a dog in a professional environment. They allow companies interested to download it directly from their website.

Regarding animal welfare, it’s interesting to note that Partena estimates that the issue of (para)fiscality can arise in certain cases: “Food, the possible presence of a caregiver for the animals, the establishment of a specific area… could be considered as an advantage in kind… subject to taxation and social security contributions.” Something to keep in mind.

The intelligence of animals is surprising: 4 anecdotes 

Animals are good for our well-being and happiness. But they can also be a source of amazement—particularly regarding their intelligence. Here are 4 facts to share with your colleagues at the coffee machine.

1. Did you know that the most intelligent dog in the world is… Belgian? Many studies indeed rank the Belgian Malinois at the top of canine intelligence. For cats, it’s the Bengal.
2. Crows can recognize human faces and even remember them for several years. This was highlighted in a recent study by researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle.
3. The smartest animal in the world is the orangutan (on par with the chimpanzee). Notably, we share 99.4% of our DNA with these primates. Orangutans and chimpanzees are capable of using tools and can learn sign language.
4. Pigs are smarter than we generally assume. Some can actually play video games. This is what a team of American researchers claims, having taught four pigs to use a joystick with their snouts. The study published in 2021 explains that the animals were able to associate their eye movements with a cursor on the screen controlled by the joystick.

Don’t believe us? Here’s the video. 😉

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfaDI73hWLc 

A factor in job choice 

Some people want meal vouchers, and others want a company car. Some desire extra days off; for others, a “pet-friendly” company is an important factor in choosing a position. According to an Ivox study published in June 2023, one-third of employees believe that a supportive work environment would influence their choice of a new employer. So, companies looking to attract or retain new talent now have an additional tool for negotiation.

An expanding idea 

It’s known that the COVID crisis led to a significant rise in pet adoptions in many countries around the world, including the United States, Japan, France, and the UK. This trend holds true here as well. In 2021, the SPA (Animal Protection Society) noted a substantial increase in adoption requests and a decrease in abandonments. Although the current crisis seems to push some Belgians to abandon their pets, the observation remains: more and more Belgians are pet owners. Companies appear to have understood this trend, as a recent poll (June 2023) by Ivox for Mars-Belgium indicates that 20% of companies declare themselves dog-friendly. This figure has been steadily increasing, as only 11% of companies accepted dogs a year ago, and just 6% in 2019.

Source: metrotime.be, June 2023