Now we know most dog-owners treat their four-legged pets as an extension to their family. They get treats – just like humans do, have clothes – just like humans do, celebrate birthdays – just like humans do and even indulge in a bit of personal grooming – just like humans do.
So would it be so bad to employ a dog in your workplace? And I don’t mean as the office mascot or dogs who help the emergency services or those who aid people with specific medical conditions. I mean an actual doggy work colleague.
Now you probably think i’ve gone mad but read on and soon you’ll understand exactly what i’m talking about. A recent survey carried out by DBI Furniture Solutions found that 36.7% of employees believe honesty to be the most admirable trait in a colleague, closely followed by 27.3% wanting to work alongside a hard-working staffer. Other admirable traits favoured by the UK public include, enthusiasm (14.5%), loyalty (16.8%) and perseverance (4.7%).
In fact you can read our guide to the top five must-have personality traits every workplace should have and you’ll be surprised to know, some of those traits exist in some of our well-loved dogs.
Here are some dogs who might just consider giving a job to:
1. The office personality
Breed: Pug
Bio: There’s plenty to be said for this candidate. Some good, some not so good. Known in the industry for their polite and sometimes childlike nature, they are a great company representative for when prospective clients are in the office. On the other hand, this guy is slightly on the lazy side and can often be found nodding off in meetings. What they lack in energy they make up for with personality, though! Good-humoured, likeable and often charming, this one is a bit of a wild card. Worth taking a risk on…
2. Fantastic leader
Breed: Jack Russell
Bio: With boundless energy, enthusiasm and a real zest for life, this candidate has the potential to turn your office upside down. For better or worse, that is… If your office prides itself on its calm, tranquil environment then this applicant may be a little unstimulated. Somewhere more fast-paced, however, and they’ll be in their element! Chasing leads and nailing deadlines, some colleagues may find this personality difficult to work with. Others will relish the energy. It all depends on your office. Previous references are all along a similar theme; ‘a great worker if given enough stimulation’, ‘fantastic leader’ and ‘a real tenacious employee’.
3. Fantastic self-starter
Breed: Labrador
Bio: Friendly, playful, intelligent… These are just a few traits that would make this candidate a great addition to your office. According to previous work references, this applicant is fantastic self-starter and will often chase a project till the end. Plus, the guy’s enthusiasm is infectious. Just watch your office perk up after half an hour in their presence.
4. Team-player
Breed: Husky
Bio: For growing companies and those with a budget, this candidate is ideal. They need very little in terms of sustenance and their thick coat is used to Arctic temperatures – so you can save on central heating, too! Yep, this one is a real trooper and will no doubt fight for your clients.
Aside from being a great economical choice, they’re also brilliant at team-building. Previous work references state qualities such as; ‘fierce determination’. ‘inquisitive nature’ and ‘approaches work with a collaborative,
almost pack-like mentality’. You have a team player on your hands with this one.
Nick Pollitt is the Managing Director of DBI Furniture Solutions. He says:
It’s hardly surprising that honesty is a much sought-after trait, as it contributes to business transparency from management-level onward. As for loyalty and enthusiasm, these are both invaluable traits for a colleague to possess. Loyalty goes a long way in improving interpersonal relationships, whilst being around a natural enthusiast is a great morale boost.
Any business will benefit from perseverance. If you don’t succeed first time, it pays to keep trying. It’s a learning process, after all!
Joking aside we don’t really expect you to employ dogs in your workplace but you can see why they just make a better employee than some humans. However having the right personalities in the office could make all the difference so you might want to look for some of these traits in any future employees.
