63% of Belgians are happier in the presence of a dog at the office
A dog-friendly working environment would influence one in three Belgians in their choice of employer
Read this story in French: 63% des Belges sont plus heureux en présence d’un chien au bureau(Opens a new window)
Read this story in Dutch: 63% van de Belgen gelukkiger met een hond op kantoor(Opens a new window)
- Dogs are welcome in 21% of workplaces in Belgium, up sharply from 6% in 2019 and 11% in 2022. 71% of dog owners who work in such a place already take their four-legged friend to the office.
- More than a third of respondents believe that bringing their dog to the office should be a right for employees.
- More than half of Belgians (57%) believe that a company that allows dogs is seen as more flexible and progressive.
- A third of Belgians (and 40% of dog owners) say that a dog-friendly working environment influences their choice of a new employer.
This Friday, June 23, it will be "Take Your Dog to Work Day" (TYDTWD), a day during which workers are encouraged to bring their dog to the office. On this occasion, Mars Belgium and iVox have carried out a major survey and are unveiling the results*. A whopping 63% of Belgians, who work in a dog-friendly office, report being happier in the presence of a dog in the office. Interestingly, a third of these Belgians say that being able to bring their dog to work influences their choice of a new employer. With 21% of workplaces dog-friendly and 71% of dog owners regularly taking their pets there, proper supervision is becoming increasingly important.
The latest survey carried out by Mars Belgium and iVox shows that having a dog in the office benefits as many people as possible, whether they are employees or four-legged friends. It reduces stress (for 60% of respondents), increases motivation (for 60% of respondents), stimulates mobility in the workplace (50%) and generally creates a better working atmosphere (according to 64% of respondents). Three out of five Belgians even feel happier when dogs are welcome in the office.
“It's not illogical,” says psychologist Herman Konings. "Dogs have a positive impact on our well-being because they stimulate the production of neurochemicals such as endorphins, dopamine and oxytocin in our brains. And that makes us happy."
“The bond between humans and dogs is indeed unique and can contribute to our mental and physical well-being in various ways, not only in dog owners, but also in people who do not have pets,” adds Dr. Joni Delanoeije, a researcher at KU Leuven in the field of human-animal relations. “Dogs, for example, can trigger spontaneous interactions between people and therefore facilitate contact.”
Joke Decru also notices this in the human-animal interactions she observes with her organisation AAP: “We see fantastic things happening in companies, care institutions and (secondary) schools, both with the owners of the dogs that come and with people who don't know the dog.”
The survey also found that 33% of employees with a dog would go to the office less if they couldn't get there with their dog. 41% of dog owners even said they would go to work more often if their dog was welcome.
Dogs in the office: a strong argument for recruiting talent?
In the current context of the 'war for talent', it is crucial not only to attract new talent, but also to manage to retain its staff. The survey shows that a dog-friendly policy at work can play a significant role in this. A third of Belgians even say that a dog-friendly working environment is an important factor in choosing an employer. “This is especially true for the younger generation, also known as Gen Z (born between 1996 and 2010). This generation is often lonelier and finds comfort in a pet. Their strong bond with their pet, combined with their desire for a welcoming workplace, is a crucial aspect that employers can no longer ignore,” says Herman Konings, trendwatcher.
Nowadays, the workplace has become more than just an office; employees want to feel at home. Taking your dog to work is perfectly in line with this approach. No less than 57% of Belgians surveyed consider a corporate culture with a dog-friendly policy to be a sign of a flexible and progressive corporate philosophy with a focus on work-life balance and attention to well-being in the workplace.
“Another study from 2022 found that only 21% of workers globally (and 14% in Europe) feel engaged at work,” says Herman Konings. “This means that a large majority of 4 out of 5 workers (or 6 out of 7 in Europe) feel unengaged or insufficiently engaged, which can lead to burnout or dismissal. There is therefore an urgent need to focus on employees' feelings of happiness, and allowing a dog in the office can certainly help with this.”
“However, attention to employee well-being is not the only important thing,” say Dr. Joni Delanoeije and Joke Decru (AAP vzw), who have together specialized in supporting companies with regard to dogs at work (Kantoorhonden.be). “To make the most of a dog's potential in the workplace, it is important to take into account the well-being of the dog itself,” says Joke Decru. “The well-being of the dog is as important as the potentially beneficial impact of dogs on employees.”
“In addition, it’s crucial to take into account employees who are less fond of the presence of a four-legged friend,” says Dr. Delanoeije, who specializes in employee well-being, new work practices and human-animal relationships. “Sometimes that can mean paying close attention to the framework around the practice. If this framework is well applied, the presence of a dog can have a positive impact, even for those who are not fond of it at first, for example on a person's attitude towards pets.”
Workplace of the Future: Mars Sets the Standard for a Dog-Friendly Workplace
For more than 20 years, Mars, the parent company of Mars Petcare, has been actively committed to animal welfare and dog-friendly offices. Mars has a thoughtful dog-friendly policy that benefits employees, such as "Paw-ternity Leave," which allows employees in certain departments of the company to receive 10 hours of paid vacation to help their pets get used to a new home. Mars also offers a pet-friendly atmosphere in the office, with dog-friendly meeting rooms, dedicated walking routes, and dog-only rest and play areas. For two decades, it has been 'Take your dog to work day' every day. This approach not only contributes to a better work-life balance, but also improves the working atmosphere, social contacts between colleagues and team spirit.
To inspire and encourage other companies to adopt animal-friendly policies, Mars regularly opens its doors to other organizations. Recent visits to interested companies have shown how a pets@work programme can be successfully implemented. Mars Belgium also collaborates with research institutes such as KU Leuven and organisations such as AAP vzw and Kantoorhonden.be to further investigate the positive impact of animals on humans and to apply it in the best possible way in the workplace. Mars is therefore happy to share tips, tricks, and insights based on both research and its own experience.
"As a pioneer in the field of pet care in the office, we are pleased to see that the results of the survey confirm the positive impact of dogs on working conditions," says An De Volder, General Manager, Mars Multisales Belgium. "For more than 20 years, we have been convinced of the benefits of dogs in the workplace, both for our employees and for their four-legged friends. As a management team, we lead by example and encourage employees to bring their dogs. Over the past two decades, we have gained a solid experience with dogs in the office. Mars Petcare's mission is: "A better world for pets". We are therefore happy to contribute to a society where dogs and other pets are increasingly welcome in more and more places. That's why we support other companies by providing advice and assistance to adopt dog-friendly policies.
*Online survey conducted by the research firm iVOX on behalf of Mars between 15 May 2023 and 29 May 2023 among 1,000 active Belgians (working in an office or hybrid) and students who plan to start working in an office within 1 to 2 years, representative by region, gender, age and level of education. The maximum margin of error in this group of 1,000 Belgians is 3.02%.
More photos are available via this link: https://marspr.prezly.com/media/album/21844(Opens a new window)
