5 reasons why dogs would make great HR professionals

by Eleanor Walker , Senior People & Development Consultant

We’re often asked by clients to help them consider and implement a 'pets at work' policy. After all, research shows?that having pets around makes us happier, less stressed, and more productive (NB: as someone with a 12-week-old puppy I’m not sure how much I can agree with that statement just yet). If you’re an HR professional, you might have even explored the benefits of a pets at work policy yourself, but have you ever thought about giving them a job in HR?

No? Neither have we. But, since it’s International Dog Day this week (August 26th), we have put our heads together anyway to come up with five reasons why we think dogs would make excellent HR Professionals.

If you want to know where our inspiration came from, you can meet the Dogs of Atkinson HR here.

They reduce absence

Research by the Kennel Club among employers that allowed dogs at work found that half the organisations saw a reduction in absence.

It's widely recognised that having a dog can improve both mental and physical health, not only because they encourage us to live more active lifestyles, but there are psychological benefits too. Studies have shown a significant difference in the stress levels of employees allowed to bring their dogs to work, compared with those that are not, and have even found that dogs at work can lower employees’ blood pressure.

They make us happy

We know – it’s not HR’s job to make everyone happy, but we do have an important role to play in supporting organisations to create positive work environments and a great employee experience. Having a dog in the office is not only beneficial for the owner, but can also lift the mood of colleagues by creating a more friendly and relaxed atmosphere, as well as providing opportunities for mindfulness and relaxation (imagine cuddling a Labrador to calm you down after yet another meeting that could have been an e-mail).

They make us more productive

Not only does HR have an important role to play in supporting a positive work environment, but a key part of our HR strategies will usually be keeping business productivity high to meet strategic goals. We know that taking regular screen breaks, fresh air and physical activity are important for making us more productive. Having a dog around forces us to take a break, go outside and focus on something different a few times a day. Combine that with a workforce that's happier and less stressed, and your productivity could be through the ceiling.

They’re great investigators

Mystery inc. didn’t employ an enormous, scooby-snack guzzling, talking Great Dane for nothing. A dog’s sense of smell is over 4 times greater than ours, so next time someone calls HR to find out who stole their sandwich from the communal fridge, having a dog around could solve that mystery pretty quickly so you can get back to the important stuff. They’re also blessed with superb hearing, and as much as we’d hate to admit it, sometimes having a heads up on the office gossip can be very useful!

They’re approachable

My hairdresser has a gorgeous Cockapoo that she lets wander around the salon, and I’ve noticed that a lot of people pop in just to see the dog. She’s also great at entertaining children that come in to get their hair cut, and I can imagine leads to lots of customers coming back again and again because of the relaxed and friendly environment that her dog helps to create.

The CIPD Profession map lists influence and inclusive working as key behaviours of successful HR professionals. It goes without saying that dogs bring people together, and can even influence sales, decisions and therefore business success.

If that's convinced you to consider a pets at work policy in your organisation, make sure you take into consideration the safety and wellbeing of colleagues and customers, which means thinking about allergies, fear or anxiety around animals and the nature of your work. As long as you have the right measures in place and a considerate, sensible approach, making your next HR colleague a fluffy one could have a great effect on your employee experience and employer brand ??.