People are everything to us here at Decisely. But so are our pets.

Our culture is built on openness. Both in the layout of our offices as well as the way in which we treat everyone. Which is why we are more than welcoming to all of our four-legged friends. We love seeing Cooper, Grizzly, and Beatrice wandering around – looking at us with those adoring eyes, thereby reducing stress levels in all of us.

No really, it’s true. The International Journal of Workplace Health Management released a study in 2012 that shows employee stress is reduced with the presence of dogs in an office. So is employee absenteeism.

And if you’re thinking, dogs in an office? Wouldn’t you just want to spend all of your time playing with them? – think again. Pets in the office actually increase collaboration and productivity across teams. It’s a similar premise to the whole idea behind “breaking bread” with another person. Animals typically bring people together, so having a dog (or dogs) in the office can serve as conversation starters, can put people at ease, and more.

What else do our pups do for us? Besides playing Frisbee on lunch breaks and curling up by our feet to sleep, they also help to boost morale. And focus. Oh, and trust, too.

Let’s think about it: if you are a pet owner, and you leave your pet at home, you may be worrying about them being on their own. But if they are in the office with you, then that problem is, well, no longer a problem.  

But the real reason we have a pet friendly office policy is because we view our employees as far more than just employees. We invest in the person we get for 8 to 10 hours a day. It’s an investment in people’s lives as a whole. Not to get overly mushy over here, but having a positive and open work environment creates a win-win situation for everyone.

We aren’t the only ones, either. Companies such as Etsy, Google, and Amazon also encourage employees to bring their dogs into the office. Some of these bigger companies have even built play and exercise areas.

That’s not to say that we let our pets have run of the office. For any business considering a pet friendly policy, it is important to remember colleagues that may have allergies.  And, a general “rulebook” should be set so everyone understands the protocol for pups in the office. The health of everyone should always be the top priority.