This week we have a blog from Holly about the furry Virtual Angel, Reggie!
One of the joys of working from home is spending the day with my four-legged furry friend. Reggie is a Brussels Griffon and I have to say there are days when I wonder if he is more cat than dog. However, since he came to live with us last year, he has had a huge impact on my working day. We don’t have a garden, so he needs to go out for walks on a regular basis throughout the day.
These regular breaks take me away from my desk and give me thinking time – I sometimes come up with my best solutions to problems out on our walks. His daft antics keep me entertained through the day and give me light relief when I’m having a bad day. Sometimes, he comes with me on client meetings – depending of course as to whether the client is happy for him to join us and where we are meeting. Those who don’t mind him coming along often ask for him to come to the next meeting as they like having him there!
However, dogs in the office are not just for those working from home. More and more offices are making it possible for employees to bring their dogs to work with them. There are lots of positive benefits for allowing our four-legged furry friends in to the office, but this comes with considerations – not everyone loves dogs, some people have allergies and not every dog has a good temperament. Bringing animals in to an office requires consideration and good policies in place.
What do you think about having dogs or other pets in the office?
I used to work for Dog’s Trust, in their Head Office, and we regularly had 3 or 4 dogs in the office. They were only allowed in if they were well-behaved and not likely to leave any ‘presents’ on the carpet!! Everybody loved having them there – they are great for relieving stress, very entertaining and also great for helping the staff to bond.