Dogs improve office productivity

Today is national "Take Your Dog to Work Day." According to a study by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, about 17 percent of workplaces nationwide participate in this annual event.

Studies abound that illustrate how dogs can help their owners create close, long-term relationships with other people. But researcher Christopher Honts and his colleagues at Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, Michigan decided to explore if this also held true in the workplace. They wondered if just the presence of a canine in the office might make people collaborate more effectively.

To test their theory, they conducted two experiments. In the first, they brought together 12 groups of four individuals and told each group to come up with a 15-second advertisement for a made-up product. Everyone was asked to contribute ideas, but ultimately the group had to choose what they believed to be the best one.

Some of the groups had a dog underfoot during the brainstorming and decision-making sessions, while the others were canine-less. After completing their assignment, the volunteers were asked to complete a questionnaire about what it was like to work with the other members of the team. Honts discovered that those who'd had a dog in the room gave their teammates higher marks for "trust," "team cohesion" and "intimacy" than those who had not.

The second experiment explored how the presence of an animal altered players' behavior in a game called the "prisoner's dilemma." All four members of 13 different groups were "charged" with a crime. Each person had to choose (without talking with the others) either to snitch on their teammates or to stand by them. The researchers found that having a dog around made volunteers 30 percent less likely to snitch than those who played without one.

If you are an employer wishing to implement a dogs-at-work program, check out "Dogs at Work: A Practical Guide to Creating Dog-Friendly Workplaces" (Humane Society Press, $21.95). Authors Liz Palika and Jennifer Fearing present the tangible benefits of dog-friendly policies and provide step-by-step advice for getting management on board, setting fair procedures and protocols and dealing with potential complaints and concerns.

Does your company allow dogs in the office?



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