Dogs have their day at the office

Research
shows that employees who take part in tomorrow’s Take Your Dog to Work Day will
benefit from reduced stress levels.

The
event, which is organised by charity the Blue Cross, will see employees from
firms such as BT, NatWest, Eurostar, HSBC and Lloyds TSB take their pooch into
work to raise funds for the animal welfare organisation.

Rachel
Bower, HR director of the Blue Cross, said, "Research shows that workers
do benefit from being in the company of animals. It calms people down and
lowers blood pressure."

Several
members of staff at Blue Cross take their dogs in each day and she thinks it
leads to an increase work levels.

"Most
people who walk their dogs at lunchtime say it improves their productivity in
the afternoon," she said. "It is a good opportunity for people to get
away from their desks and get some fresh air."

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Last
year, an NOP study into GPs’ attitudes towards pet ownership found that 82 per
cent of doctors think stress levels are reduced by having a pet.

By
Ben Willmott