Dogs Stage Office Invasion
N E W Y O R K, June 22, 2001 -- If it feels like you're having a dog day afternoon in the office right about now, it may not be because of hot summer weather or a Friday deadline.
Actually, it's the third annual National Take Your Dog to Work Day, an event intended to demonstrate the charms of canines — although you may not be enjoying it if you have a barking beagle or sniffling schnauzer near your desk at the moment.
"It shows employers what a great difference dogs can make to the workplace, in terms of employee satisfaction and camaraderie," says Ellen Price, public relations coordinator for North Carolina-based Pet Sitters International, one of the co-sponsors of the day.
And Price says companies have been lapping up the idea: She estimates 5,000 will be participating in the day, compared to 400 two years ago.
Your Vote: Dog Delight or Problems with Pooches?
Once Upon a Time, Every Day Was …
But in the current era of dot-com retrenchment, with start-ups being impounded by the dozen, this year's day has a slightly different meaning. After all, just a year or two ago in offices across the country, every day was Take Your Dog to Work Day.
Indeed, bringing pets to the office was a prime symbol of dot-com era workplace casualness, along with dressing down and office games. But like Foosball tables or Nerf basketball hoops, dogs seem to be an increasingly rare sight in offices. For that matter, Pets.com, a co-sponsor of the day just last year, has gone the way of the pet rock.
"It's not unlike business casual," says Marjorie Brody, a business etiquette expert based in Jenkintown, Pa. "The dog seems to be staying home a bit more."
Ken Lloyd, a specialist in organizational behavior based in Southern California, agrees that the trend toward pets at work has decidedly slowed down.
"The sense that I have is that it's not growing at the same rate," says Lloyd. "There is that pendulum effect. With the changeover in the dot-com world, there's been more of a 'Let's-get-back-to-business' mind-set."
Not Just Dog-Coms
Still, the long hours, emphasis on employee fun and loft-type workspaces associated with tech start-ups have made them natural places to find workers' pets.
"Employees are spending so much time at work, Generation X workers like the idea of work feeling like a family," Lloyd says. "They're working long hours and here's a way to make them feel a little more comfortable."
"I loved having dogs in the office," confirms Christian Patterson, a former employee of Web-design firm Nettmedia in New York, where a golden retriever and pug were office regulars. "I identified with them and it reminded me of home. It was comforting to have a dog there, and it was a welcome diversion. They're good stress relievers."
The sponsors of Take Your Dog to Work Day say a lot of the participating companies are not just once-trendy dot-coms, but small or medium-size businesses. Some of the impetus for the event comes from Replacements Ltd., a North Carolina china and crystal maker whose owner, Bob Page, began bringing his two dachshunds to the office.
"He found that it kind of broke the ice, and lightened the mood," says Liam Sullivan, manager of public relations at Replacements Ltd.
Soon other employees started bringing in their own pooches, and now 50 dogs make the commute to work there every day. Sullivan claims the practice has numerous benefits, including reduced absenteeism and less tension among workers. And he stresses that none of the dogs has ever broken any china.
Get Your Goat
And then there are people who may favor having pets at the office, but do not own dogs.
Sullivan — a cat owner himself — says that almost all pets are welcome at Replacements Ltd., but that dogs adapt to the workplace best: "We've also had people bring in iguanas and guinea pigs. But dogs are more social. They tend to be part of the work force over time."
Still, Price claims the idea behind Take Your Dog to Work Day can easily be applied to other animals as well.
"Last year, I brought in my goat," Price says. "She's a real sweetheart."