Illustration: Chen Xia/GT
With pet cats and dogs becoming increasingly popular in China over the past decade, more and more companies across the country are beginning to institute open-door policies toward letting employees bring their pets to work or even adopting "company pets."
One start-up business located in a Shanghai creative zone recently adopted a stray cat as their company pet. "My boss believes raising Xiaohua (the cat's name) can bring unity among employees and create a more relaxing environment," said employee Ms Li.
Adopting pets is a growing trend among many small-scale companies in Shanghai, most whom are run by young adults and recent graduates.
In a new poll at sina.com, over 400 netizens said they believe that allowing furry friends into the workplace can be beneficial to a company, release pressure and increase creativity.
Western cultures such as the US and many European nations have been practicing this policy for decades.
Back in 1996, Pet Sitters International created the annual Take Your Dog to Work Day (TYDTWD) in the UK and the US. There is also increasing participation in TYDTWD in Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
According to a study conducted by researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2012, having dogs in the workplace makes employees "less stressed" throughout the day than those who did not.
Researchers also found that pets at work keep employees "more active and less sedentary," as it forces employees to take a break by feeding or walking the animal.
This is especially important for nine-to-five office workers, most whom spend their days sitting in front of a computer.
Research has suggested that remaining seated for too long is bad for one's health, as it decreases circulation and increases obesity.
Taking a pet for a quick 15-minute walk outside every few hours would do wonders for humans and animals alike.
Pets can also be a social catalyst, creating positive interaction within an office. "My dog received a warm welcome the first day that I brought him to the office. The atmosphere is much warmer now and much more sociable. It immediately became a central topic among us," a Chinese employee on a Web forum posted about her experience.
The positive influence of pets was verified in a 2010 study from Central Michigan University, which revealed that dogs in the workplace "can lead to more trust and collaboration" among coworkers.
One of the study's experiments involved groups of individuals, some with and some without dogs. Each group member was charged with a fake crime and surveyed to see if they would report their fellow group members. It turned out that members in the groups with dogs were 30 percent less likely to rat each other out, pun intended.
Pro-pet policies also set a more casual, flexible tone for offices. Bosses who allow pets are more likely to be considered "cool" by their employees.
And being able to bring pets to work means you may be less likely to dread coming to the office on Monday mornings and more willing to work overtime because you needn't rush home to feed and walk your pet.
According to a 2012 poll on 1,225 Americans and Canadians, two-thirds of employees would be willing to work more overtime if their company allowed them to bring pets.
Of course, the logistics of pro-pet workplace policies would have to be negotiated between employees and management.
For instance, if just one employee has cat allergies (an estimated 10 percent of the world population are allergic to cats, more than any other animal) would that automatically rule out allowing cats?
Also, who cleans up all the poop and pee and fur on the carpet? Who pays for their food? And what about birds and fish, which in China are far more popular than cats and dogs. Would rodents like gerbils and hamsters and rabbits, which are known to smell quite bad, also be allowed?
There are many proven benefits to owning pets, and just as many good reasons for allowing pets at work. And now that China is becoming a more pet-positive country, certainly a growing number of young employees will be lobbying their managers to let them bring their cat or dog to work.
The details still need to be ironed out, but I predict I will soon start seeing more dogs in our office building elevators.
