People who work in offices. What are they like, eh? If it’s not cinema screens, yoga rooms and jacuzzis they are hankering after, it’s dogs. But which kinds are best to bring?
Perhaps it’s the penchant for hybrid working gripping the nation since 2020 but the office is no longer seen just as a place for work. It is a place for living in. For a few hours a day anyway.
As a result, workers are expressing strange desires about what they want to happen in offices.
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According to Mark Knops, CEO of office search firm Sketch Labs, which has conducted research into our wants and demands: “Businesses are seeking to introduce more office perks to encourage employees to feel happier while they’re spending more time in the office.
“Companies are coming up with unusual requests to try and entice workers to want to spend longer in the office. Some of the most unusual office requests include jacuzzis, game rooms, treadmill desks, swimming pools, cinema rooms and even bullet-proof glass. We’ve also seen a rise in more people looking for more inviting environments with items like living plant walls.”
Apparently demand for “office cinema” leapt while Oppenheimer and Barbie were ruling the movie roost in the summer. Seems odd. Do people really expect to watch films at work? Alongside, were requests for bars and gyms. Productivity crisis? Nah, never heard of it.
Tiny dogs
Dogs of course feature on Sketch Labs’ list. In 2021, at the height of the nation’s canine fixation Personnel Today attempted to take the idea of dog-friendly offices seriously. It set tongues wagging, if not tails, but we’re still none the wiser about how the concept could work. Now, however, new research has given us the answer: tiny dogs!
Yes, Barkridges, a company that “specialises in unique, innovative and durable dog harnesses”, has compiled a list of the top 10 dog breeds for city life and dog-friendly offices in the UK.
This analysis has concluded that something called a “toy cockapoo” is the best dog for offices. These dogs grow to about 25cm high and weigh around 10Ib. There’s a spider that’s reputed to live behind the fridge in the Personnel Today office kitchen many claim to be larger than that. Less charming as an office pet, admittedly.
Miracle Milly
Then again the smallest dog in history was a Chihuahua named Miracle Milly. She was 3.8 inches tall – perfect for offices, although easy to tread on.
The Covid crisis led, for some reason, to a mass surplus of dogs. Presumably this has led to more people wishing to bring them to work. We just hope they have given consideration to suitable breeds, so here are the top 10 suitable pooches, according to Barkridges. Size, charm and ability to sleep all day are presumably the main criteria …
- Toy Cockapoo
- French Bulldog
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
- Shih Tzu
- Pug
- Cavachon
- Pomeranian
- Yorkshire Terrier
- Boston Terrier
- Miniature Schnauzer
Barkridges say the Toy Cockapoo’s “gentle and affectionate nature makes them excellent companions in both bustling city streets and office environments. Their adaptability and relatively low energy needs ensure they thrive in apartment living and hectic urban schedules, providing comfort and warmth to their owners. Their easy trainability and friendly disposition also make them ideal partners in any workplace.”
Hmmm… low energy needs, friendly disposition, adaptability… with these qualities, shouldn’t we put them on the payroll? A whole new talent pipeline could be opening up!
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