At James Barton Design-Build, animals play a very important role in all our lives. Most of the members on our home remodeling team are pet owners and are proud to support our local humane society year after year.
If you’ve ever visited our office, you will most likely be greeted first by Casey, our office Golden Retriever. Even though he’s not much of a guard dog (the worst thing he’d ever threaten you with is a game of fetch), he does bring a lot of joy and energy to the office as he wanders around accepting pets and treats from anyone that is willing. While he may not be able to assist in our home renovation projects, Casey may be benefiting our office environment more than even he realizes!
Below are just some of the benefits of having dogs in the office during the workday:
- Reduced Stress: A study from the Virginia Commonwealth University found that employees who brought their dogs to work experienced lower stress levels through the work day than those employees that left their dogs at home.
- A Better Team Environment: The same VCU study found that dogs increased collaboration and unity among team members. By providing a common ground for natural conversation, dogs allow coworkers to connect on a more genuine level.
- Increased Activity: Dogs need to be taken outside and walked throughout the day. These short breaks provide employees with a reprieve to be active and refocus their mind when they otherwise would remain at their desk.
- Welcoming Tone: Dogs in the office also set the tone for a business’s culture by showing clients and employees that this is a welcoming, comfortable, and warm environment.
