Pictured above is Ollie! He’s our very own furry GC Hub mascot and our resident Labradoodle pup at the Varsity Lakes office! To Ollie, coming into the office with his Digital Junkie parents probably just feels like any other day, but for everyone else in the office, Ollie’s presence seems to turn everyone’s day into a day full of productivity, creativity and multiple breaks to give Ollie a pat!
Of course, there are always a few downsides to having pets in the workplace – unexpected barking at the postie, the carpet suddenly becomes the newest chew toy or the decorative green rabbit doesn’t seem to have a leg to stand on after an hour of being gnawed at. But let’s not focus on the few little minor issues, because there are so many benefits involved with having a furry friend in the office!
- Reduces Stress Levels and Lowers Blood Pressure
Multiple studies have been conducted on the positive effect pets have on stress and blood pressure levels. These studies have found that regular interactions with pets, particularly cats and dogs, can reduce your stress levels and lower blood pressure levels. When these interactions occur with animals, serotonin is released, improving your moods, which in turn reduces the amount of cortisol (a stress-related hormone) being released, lowering your stress levels. As stress is also one of many contributors of high blood pressure, the reduction of stress levels also reduces and lowers blood pressure levels. It’s just a win, win situation and all it takes is a few minutes away from your work, cuddling a cat or dog. What gets better than that!
- Boost Creativity and Productivity
With the reduction of stress levels and lower blood pressure levels thanks to our furry friends, there is now more time to focus on the important work at hand. Feelings of stress or anxiousness can cause brain fogs and thought blockers, making it hard to focus on your work. The presence of an office pet, as we now know, reduces your stress – lifting your brain fog and thought blockers, resulting in a boost of new ideas, creativity and productivity.
- Improves Collaborations
Working in offices can sometimes cause feelings of isolation, especially if you’re working on your own tasks in your own area of the office. Even in shared offices, solo entrepreneurs can still experience loneliness. Having pets in the workspace, allows for an improvement of interaction within people in the office, leading to better conversations and an increase in collaborations. Having pets around is especially handy for introverted people who find it hard to talk to others as they will find that having that pet around creates a buffer, reducing their social stress and allowing them to easily interact with others in the room. With a pet in the office, there should be no excuses for getting away from your laptop and socialising with others in your workspace!
Yes, pets can be naughty at times, but the benefits that they bring towards positively changing human behaviours, health and mentality makes their naughty moments seem like nothing.
Next time you drop into the GC Hub Office in Varsity Lakes make sure you take the time to say hello to Ollie to get your conversations and creativity in peak form! If you would like to find out more about becoming a member of the GC Hub, email us at team@gchub.com.au.
