Animals in the office

Animals in the workplace can improve the atmosphere, relieve stress, and promote team integration. However, their presence must be well thought out and accepted by all employees. In this article, we will discuss which animals work best in the office and how to prepare the space for their arrival.

Dog at work

Animals in the workplace soften manners, improve the atmosphere, and can even increase team productivity. However, the presence of a dog at work is not a given and must be accepted by management and colleagues who will be in contact with it.
Some companies allow employees to bring their dogs to work. This is more common in corporations with Western roots. It is written into the rules and regulations that every employee is familiar with. The conditions that the animal must meet are also specified there.
Not every workplace allows animals. In fact, it is only possible in offices. In other places, it can be dangerous. However, dogs are also residents of small private shops and clubs. In such places, due to the traffic, the owner must be sure that their pet will not go for a walk on its own.

What animals are suitable for the office?

When it comes to choosing animals for the office, the answer is simple. Choose animals that do not disturb others and are not disturbed themselves. It is a very individual matter. It depends on the conditions of the premises, your colleagues, and the animal's habits.
Fish are probably the least controversial animals to have in the office. They don't smell, they don't get underfoot, they don't shed, and no one is afraid of them. Unless, of course, they're piranhas.

Snakes are worse. They can be frightening, even if they are harmless. However, they can be found in terrariums in offices. There was even a poisonous snake in a children's clothing store in the center of Warsaw.

An extreme example of an animal in the office would be a venomous, exotic spider measuring several centimeters in length. One of the employees brought it to the office on his day off. As he confessed, he had to take it out of his home because his partner was terrified of the arthropod. He was too, for that matter. He fed it through a crack in the terrarium with tweezers. When word spread around the company about the big spider, there was an uproar and the animal had to be evacuated. Fortunately, the arthropod quickly found a new home with an enthusiast.
For several years, a turtle lived in the editorial office of one of the largest private radio stations in Poland. It appeared when the station's president was taken over by feng shui specialists. The turtle was reportedly in line with this idea. It had a terrarium in the president's office, but it was unhappy there, so the secretary let it out "into the rooms" to move around. Then she started taking it home on weekends because it liked rummaging around in the grass. Eventually, she adopted the radio turtle.

Cat at work

It would seem that cats are too independent to be companions at work. However, this is not necessarily the case.
Wrocek, a cat, lives in the Wrocław city hall. He was adopted by the mayor, who found him at the bus station. Wrocek resides in various departments of the city hall.
In some cities, there are pubs where cats are permanent residents. There are several such pubs in Poland. There is a cat pub in Edinburgh and on the main street of Vilnius. In Vilnius, an employee stands by the door all the time to make sure that the cats do not wander off into the city.

Dog at work

Apart from fish, dogs are probably the most common office pets. It doesn't matter whether they are small or large. It is important that it is friendly to its surroundings and not nervous. It must tolerate people walking around and various office noises. It must not bark or growl at strangers.
Before bringing your dog to the office, it is a good idea to ask your colleagues if they have any objections. Some may be allergic to fur or simply dislike being around animals.
You need to find a place for your dog somewhere out of the way, where it will have a bed and bowls of water and food.

Dogs and work

Dogs, cats, and other animals, provided they are accepted, have a relaxing and calming effect and alleviate stress. Petting a dog or cat gives employees a moment of peaceful respite, allowing them to focus and releasing oxytocin, the happiness hormone. Fish cannot be petted or cuddled, but looking at them can also have a soothing effect.
Animals rarely interfere with work. A small, cheerful white Maltese dog often visits our serviced office. Sometimes it visits other companies in the building.