For many years now, the animal has had its place in the context of work. Indeed, they are seen as helpers, sidekicks, for example the dogs that are used in the police in the search for drugs, or the horses and mules used in the past to plough the fields. It is interesting to be able to ask how the presence of these companions can influence the daily life of human beings in the workplace.
It is now well known the positive effect that animals can have on different populations of individuals: the sick, prisoners, children, jailers and in particular contexts: educational, rehabilitation, healing… Many researches testify to the effectiveness of the presence of pets on the socio-emotional development of children as it can provide them with an “unconditional assistance” by making them aware of how to take care of others, which improves their self-esteem. For the elderly, the introduction of an animal into residential institutions can increase resident activity, social interaction and morale. However, there are very few studies in the literature that address the benefits of pets in a work setting for employees. As more and more people bring their pets to work, it seems essential to know what effects this practice may have on individuals.
In the current literature, there are two major functions that pets serve in a work context. Firstly, this presence allows personal expression, i.e. pet owners express their personal characteristics through their companions. Indeed, pet owners use their companions in particular to express themselves and their personalities, their emotions. In the professional world, research shows that there are classic methods of expressing one’s personality through one’s workspace: decorating or modifying one’s workspace. This self-expression acts on many psychological functions: helping people to regulate social interactions and helping them to regulate their stress. This personalisation also develops organisational benefits such as an increase in employee job satisfaction and a decrease in the percentage of turnover in companies. Therefore, pets in the workplace help to develop this personalisation, and self-esteem brings to employees all the benefits described above. Secondly, there is a socialising function which facilitates social interaction between individuals.
Employees can personalise their workspaces with what are called organisational symbols. These are objects that take place in an organisation and that possess and convey meanings about the organisation. There are three types of organisational symbols: authority, reward and empathy. It is important to know that these symbols influence the impressions a person may have about an organisation. It should be noted that animals make the working environment more comfortable. It is a question of distraction from the work. From the point of view of customers who may be brought into the office, pets help to relax and entertain them during the interaction. Many studies examine the different environmental perceptions centred on workplaces (offices). They show that the cleanliness of the office and the contents (such as plants or artworks) can affect the impressions, the perceptions of the individuals towards the occupants. In addition, pets also influence these perceptions: the occupant is perceived to be friendlier and the office more welcoming when the office contains a cat or a dog.
However, these results, which encourage and render the presence of pets at work as positive and beneficial, present certain limits. Indeed, some individuals, who are identified as being in the minority, may perceive the animal as a distraction, a nuisance. There are also sensations that qualify the environment as more dirty and even impure. Other concerns include the fact that some clients may be afraid of the animal, have allergies. These important elements must therefore be taken into consideration in order to understand the role that the animal plays with employees at work, but it is also necessary to adapt according to the context and the individuals who may have to deal with this life companion.
- Rose M. Perrine & Meredith Wells (2006) Labradors to Persians: Perceptions of pets in the workplace, Anthrozoös, 19:1, 65-78
- Wells, M., & Perrine, R. (2001). Critters in the cube farm : Perceived psychological and organizational effects of pets in the workplace. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 6(1), 81‑87. https://doi.org/10.1037/1076-8998.6.1.81