Dogs Allowed, and We’re Better for it

SiteLink is a dog-friendly office and a second home to a variety of pooches. At SiteLink, we believe that dogs reduce stress, improve cooperation, foster trust and allow employees to make their office feel more like home.

Pet Policy Highlights

• SiteLink is a dog-friendly workplace with 6 or 7 pooches on site during any given day
• Dogs at work lower stress levels for employees, improve morale and increase staff retention
• A dog in the room engenders cooperation and trust
• SiteLink employees love their dogs. Check out the pictures below!

If a life without a dog, as author Dean Koontz famously declared, is “a life diminished,” then SiteLink must be doing something right. SiteLink is a dog-friendly workplace. Bring your four-legged friend to work with you and no one bats an eye.

For the most part, all the dogs you’d consider regular employees here (around 6 or 7 on any given day) are quiet and well-behaved. They happily walk the halls, nap on doggie beds or gaze through windows as they mull over trends in self-storage. Sociable by nature, dogs are simply happy to be around people—especially their people. So we know it’s good for dogs, but what’s the impact on people and the workplace?

In Dogs at Work: A Practical Guide to Creating Dog-Friendly Workplaces, co-authors Liz Palika and Jennifer Fearing discuss the many benefits of bringing Fido to work, including lower stress levels for employees, improvements in morale and increased staff retention. Plus, it encourages workers to take breaks and get a little exercise. Ross Lampe, President of SiteLink, agrees. “At SiteLink we encourage bringing dogs to work. It makes for a positive, relaxed work environment. I think of it as spreading love.”

This is intuitive, but it’s also based on hard science: A study conducted at Replacements, Ltd., a North Carolina-based dog-friendly workplace, found a decrease in stress levels during the workday in employees who brought their dogs to work with them, compared to employees who left their dog at home or did not own a pet at all.

That’s great for employees, but what about productivity? Turns out that corporate canines may contribute more on-the-job than we knew. Researchers at Central Michigan University found that groups given a task to complete showed more signs of closeness, cooperation and trust when a dog was in the room than groups without a dog.

So with four-legged friends around, morale improves and more stuff gets done. There’s also an added social benefit. Joe Walters, a Software Developer at SiteLink, says his dogs encourage conversation. “The dogs tend to draw visitors by my office as well,” says Walters, “which means I actually get to know some of the people I work with.”

On-boarding canines is a not a new idea—Google, Amazon, Sparefoot, VMWare, Mars and many other big corporations all have this policy in place. It’s a growing trend, up 5% from 2013, according to a Society for Human Resource Management survey. Chuck Vion, SiteLink’s Marketing Director, has been bringing his lab/pit bull mix, Willow, to work with him every day for about 8 months now—ever since he adopted her from a co-worker—and he sees mutual benefits. “Willow doesn't have to sit at home by herself,” says Vion. “This makes me feel good knowing she isn't alone. She has a her own fan club and for some who are unable to have pets at home, it provides them an opportunity to enjoy Willow’s company.”

SiteLink employees are overwhelmingly positive about the policy. They’re comfortable having dogs around, and most agree it makes work more lively and enjoyable. And when you’re having a bad day, what’s better than a pair of adorable puppy eyes staring at you from down the hall?

Want to Start Your Own Dog-Friendly Policy?

So if you’re thinking of starting this policy at your workplace, the Humane Society of the United States—dog-friendly, of course—suggests surveying your co-workers to get a feel for who wants to participate. Focus on the benefits when you pitch the idea. And if you do get a green light, make sure you establish a set of rules and etiquette that dogs and owners follow. Do you need a dog-free conference room? Is there outdoor access for walks? Anyone have an allergy? These are just a few of the questions to ask ahead of time so there are clear rules and no surprises. With the right plan in place, happy tails will grace your halls for years to come, and you’ll be better off for it.

Check Out the Canine Cuteness at SiteLink: