Sparks Lands Spot on Rover’s List of Most Dog-Friendly Companies
Bow Wow! Sparks has been named one of the most dog-friendly companies in the country, according to a new report. The pet care and services website, Rover.com, released its 2019 ranking of the top 100 dog-friendly offices in the country this week, with Sparks coming in at number 62. Of the list, Sparks is the only Pennsylvania-based company to land a spot.
To compile and rank its 2019 list of “Best Dog-Friendly Companies”, Rover polled over 100 dog-friendly companies across the U.S. “Each company was awarded points based on key dog-friendly criteria including the number of dogs allowed in the office, dog and pet parent perks, and amenities,” says Rover.
“While having dogs at the office brings the obvious playfulness and endless wagging tails, it also heightens employees’ emotional intelligence, helping them feel more comfortable opening up with one another,” says Jovana Teodorovic, Rover’s head of people and culture. “Fostering this kind of environment is one of Rover’s key cultural pillars, and we’re thrilled to see more companies hopping on board.”
Several studies show there are a multitude of benefits to bringing your furry companion with you to the office, particularly when it comes to relieving stress and anxiety. As Time Magazine notes in their article on dog-friendly companies, “Dogs in the workplace provide more social support for employees, as well as more opportunities for coworkers to interact in a positive setting, according to a number of studies.”
Not only does man’s best friend help alleviate stress levels in the office, according to a study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, pups can help you to be more social and interact more with your co-workers.
“Anecdotal reports suggest that pets enhance the social atmosphere at work,” notes the report Dogs in the Workplace: A Review of the Benefits and Potential Challenges. “And research conducted outside of the workplace indicates that dogs can increase the frequency of conversations among people.”
USA Today echoes this sentiment on dog-friendly offices, saying “Dogs make it easier for employees to connect with one another and to communicate. It gets people up from their desks for doggie breaks from time-to-time.”
Another benefit of bringing your dog to the “woofice?” They get you up and moving. For people who work in offices or sit at their desks, finding the time to get in those steps and decrease the amount of time they spend sitting is usually a challenge. However, bringing your pet can and does change that.
“Your employees will be more productive if they get up and walk around a few minutes throughout the day,” says USA Today. “A dog makes that happen.”
The message is clear – dogs are a completely “pawesome” addition to any company. To view the full list of Rover’s 2019 “Best Dog-Friendly Companies”, click here.