A New Breed of Help

Some bookstores have resident cats. Many fire stations have Dalmatians. Such workplaces might also have employees who are healthier than offices where furry companions aren't welcome.

In an exploratory study published recently in the Journal of' Occupational Health Psychology, Meredith Wells, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology at Eastern Kentucky University, investigated the possible functions and psychological and organizational effects of pets in the workplace.

Wells surveyed businesses that allow pets in the workplace and found that employees believe that the animals reduce stress and improve their mental and physical health. Even employees who did not bring their own pets to the office but worked with people who did said that pets improved the organization as a whole. "In sum, employees perceive many benefits of pets in the workplace" Wells notes. "I was surprised at how extremely positive employees were"

Although further research needs to be done to understand how widespread these findings are, it seems that a dog (or cat) may also be an office's best friend.

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