Two things might have kept me in corporate America (which I finally left permanently in 2002). Being able to Instant Message my friends on my work computer. And this…
Dogs at Work: A Perk That Pays Off
Some Companies Find Furry Companions Keep Employees Productive
(Sept. 21) — There’s something about where Ryan Hayes works that millions of Americans would love.
Replacements Ltd. is a large china and silverware retailer with cookie-cutter corporate contemporary looks — until you look closer. As CBS News correspondent Richard Schlesinger reports, Hayes has company in his cubicle: Coco, his beagle puppy.
He’s not alone. There are dogs all over the company, which encourages its 500-plus employees to bring them in. It’s a perk that pays off.
“You do work better because if you’re maybe having a bad day, you can just look down at your feet and you smile,” Hayes says. As for the barking, he says, “It doesn’t bother me because I’m used to it.”
Bob Page owns the company and has built it into a roughly $70 million-a-year business. It was his idea to allow dogs.
Dogs are welcome in the office, in the warehouse, and even in the showroom.
Bringing dogs to work might make good business sense, according to one survey that found 46 million Americans would work longer hours if they were allowed to bring their furry companions into work with them.
So what used to be unheard of is now becoming almost commonplace. About 20 percent of American companies, including giants like Google, allow dogs in the office. The theory is that dogs reduce stress — and that’s good for business.
“Anytime you have an employee that’s content, I think they become more productive in general,” Page says.
By and large, the dogs get along and express themselves only occasionally.
But have the dogs ever had an accident in the store?
“Well, they do occasionally have accidents,” Page admits.
Coco got a little overexcited, but Hayes handled it. He went on with his day, Coco went on with hers — and throughout the office, it was business as usual.
9/21/06
Copyright 2006, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Danielle keeps telling me I should take one or both of the dogs to work with me. I’m not sure how that would go over.
i do hate corporate america.
however, you let me bring one of my dogs or cats to work and i’d be a-ok. 🙂
I am so happy for you!!! Hurray! I hope you bought it! Wait — I meant to put this on the book entry!
And at the paper I always wanted to bring Dash to “bring your kid to work day” Cuz he was better lokkin and better behaved then the kids
I SO love this. When my Great-Grandmother was still around and staying at University Place (Retirement/Rehabilitation Center), I loved that they have cats that they let roam around the resident’s floors and into their rooms. Any time one of the cats was in the room the residents would light up. And the cats were happy because they were constantly being loved and adored.