By Bob Poole
I was sitting in my office the other day struggling with putting a concept for new business start-ups on paper when I kept getting 'distracted' by one of my two dogs. He was rolling on my foot sending out a message to "Please, rub my belly." It was then that I realized that working from home gives me the best job benefit I could want; I get to be with my dogs and cats all day. I stopped writing and started belly rubbing and pretty soon I felt totally relaxed and ready to tackle my project. Bucca, my youngest Shih Tzu, decided to stay with me and laid down to nap at the top of my stairs so he could also 'guard' me in case anyone tried to get into my office. Most of the time his guarding takes on the role of keeping the cats on a lower stair until one of them makes a mad dash at him and he lets them go by.
Animals are wonderful friends and sometimes I get lost in watching them interact with each other. If you have a pet of your own, I am sure you know what it is like to be welcomed home by them; to have them be there for you when you're having a bad day and to lift your heart. Many companies now allow pets (mostly dogs) to come to the office. They are putting in dog parks and the dogs love being with both other dogs and people. While it may not be something everyone wants, companies are finding that employees enjoy the dogs and it is fun to have them around. Some retail stores claim that their average sale increased when they started bringing in their dogs. In my experience, the most successful pet friendly companies start right from their beginning with allowing dogs and/or other pets. As the company grows it attracts employees who view bringing their pet to work as a benefit and you don't have the problem of someone not liking dogs or being allergic or having to adapt to a new situation.
However, before you decide to institute a "bring your pet to work" program or run out to the local pet store to buy yourself a dog, I would like you to think about something. Every year between 3 and 4 million dogs and cats are euthanized. Thousands are abandoned, abused, and killed each day. So before you become part of the problem, why not visit your local shelter and talk to them about a dog visit program. Many shelters would enjoy bringing around one or two of their dogs for visits which would allow employees to decide if they like having pets around the office, factory, etc. If you do find a shelter to work with you on this kind of a program, don't forget to make a nice donation to them. Many struggle to care for all the animals they get and they can always use your help. If you're not ready to start a program at work, you can still volunteer your services to a shelter. You'll feel great that you did and the animals will love you for it.
You can make a difference in the lives of many dogs and cats. And, for all the value you add to their lives, I promise they will add even more to yours.
�2007 Bob Poole - All Rights Reserved
Poole Consulting Group
The Sales & Marketing Guru�
31 Bryant Drive
Perkasie, PA 18944
215-258-3405 - office
215-258-3406 - fax http://www.PooleConsultingGroup.com
Creator of "Listen First - Sell Later"� Marketing & Sales Programs
Founding Member of the International Center for Professional Speaking of The National Speakers Association
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment