Softchoice employee Mark Fischer pets Lebowski while Chewbacca looks on. Both dogs are owned by co-workers.
When trying to boost morale and make the workplace more inviting for their staff, employers don't have to look far from home for inspiration.
Toronto-based technology company Softchoice is celebrating 25 years of having a bring-your-dog-to-work policy – which has been in place since it was founded in 1989 – and sees it as a positive addition to any workplace.
"Originally it started because one of the founders had a dog and wanted to bring it to work," said Robbie Eddison, assessment services supervisor at Softchoice and co-chair of the Toronto office's Dog Owners Group (DOG).
"Over the years, the company got bigger and that flexibility became an official policy."
The benefits for dog owners can be plenty. If employees are starting work early or leaving late, they don't have to worry about their beloved pets back at home. The policy also helps with stress relief, as it forces staff to take their minds off work by taking their pets for a walk.
Having the policy in place can also attract new talent, even if they aren't dog owners. Ms. Eddison knows this personally, as the casual workplace was a lure for her right after university.
"I was interviewing at banks and here, but the bring-your-dog policy was a huge attraction for me and I didn't even get my own [dog] until five years later."
Employees who don't have a pooch also see the benefits of the policy. People are encouraged to interact in person, rather than solely through digital means. This can help with networking and team-building.
"The nice thing with the dog policy is it is a nice, approachable gateway to meet people, and maybe that is a person you wouldn't have met before," Ms. Eddison explains.
"It opens a lot of doors socially in a company like this. I know I have met a lot of friends at my company that I wouldn't have met otherwise."
Employees can also sign up to look after another person's dog during meetings or take it for walks, just because they want to. Ms. Eddison said she has a colleague who steps away from his desk just for what he calls "dog time," which is a time he plays with the canines. "It is good stress relief."
But just because employees are able to bring their dogs, big and small, to the workplace, doesn't mean it is a free-for-all with pets roaming the halls. The Dog Owners Group has a set of rules that everyone must abide by in order to bring their pooches into the building.
Managers, as well as those who work near the pet owner, must be okay with a pet coming into the area. New dogs also have a "meet and greet," where they must meet with everyone and are checked out for their behaviour before being approved.
The dog must always be on a leash – unless it is obedient and does not wander – and then there is some flexibility. Also, pets cannot be left alone when their owners are in meetings. And the lunch room is dog-free.
As for those with allergies, there is a dog-free area with its own fax machine, washroom and lunch area.
Ms. Eddison encourages employers to at least consider having a bring-your-dog-to-work policy, as she says the morale boost will be significant and any drawbacks are minimal.
"If you are having stressful phone call, you can just look over your shoulder and see your dog there. It is a wonderful thing."