If you are on LinkedIn, you have probably come across more than a few posts in June 2022 about companies organising "Take Your Dog to Work Day" all over the UK. If the first thing you did was wonder what this is all about, then this article is for you.

The COVID-19 pandemic has provided many workers with the experience of working from home – at least from time to time. Not only has such newfound flexibility allowed many workers to make lifestyle changes, such as moving away from large cities, it has also opened up the benefits of dog ownership to a significantly larger population. According to the PDSA Annual Pet Wellbeing Report, the British dog population stood at 8.9 million in 2018. By 2022, this had increased to 10.2 million, with 27% of the adult population now owning a dog.

There are many working environments where allowing dogs will be inappropriate for example due to the presence of vehicles, machinery and other health and safety risks. The trend is therefore mainly confined to offices. As such offices establish new ways of working, many companies are considering how some of their workplaces might benefit from allowing dogs in.

It is worth noting that "Bring your dog to work" policies are quite separate from, and an optional addition to, the arrangements companies must make to provide access for assistance dogs. An employer will often be required to make reasonable adjustments to enable a disabled employee with an assistance dog to attend their workplace and carry out their job. Assistance dogs are highly trained to the owner's requirements and quite different legal questions arise in relation to them than arise around choosing to allow pets to come into the workplace.

Workplace environment and wellbeing

Welcoming dogs into an office environment may raise some concerns, the biggest one being that workers will be distracted by the new additions. However research conducted by the University of Lincoln indicates that employees increased their productivity by 33.4% and there was an overall increase in work engagement of 14.4% when dogs are around. While inviting pets to the office may lead to enhanced productivity, there are also potential benefits to employees' emotional and mental wellbeing whilst at work. Several studies show that dogs improve most people's moods, decrease stress, and increase overall quality of life.

With such research being published and companies such as Apple, Amazon and Google already permanently allowing dogs in the office, it does appear that the "office dog" trend is unlikely to go away and many employers are likely to continue using it as a way to improve recruitment and retention.

A dog-friendly office

Any workplaces considering implementing a policy of allowing employees to bring their dogs to work will need to consider the practical implications too. These can include the terms of their lease, insurance policies and how many breaks per day should be offered to staff that need to walk their dogs. In addition, any "Bring your dog to work" policy should emphasise that the responsibility for looking after the dogs lies entirely with the owners and not the employer. Owners must be told to make sure their dogs are properly trained and asked to provide proof of vaccination for them.

For those employees with phobias or allergies to dogs, the introduction of dogs into the office can be quite distressing and have a negative impact on their wellbeing. Therefore, any policy must make sure these employees are also protected. In order to achieve this, some employers may be able to schedule specific days where dogs are permitted in the office and allow concerned employees the option to work from home on such days. Alternatively, it may be possible to create dog-friendly zones within office buildings so employees can choose whether to participate or avoid the dogs.

If you would like to discuss the contents of this article or would like assistance with drafting your "Bring your dog to work" policy, please contact a member of our team.