That’s Jeffervescent! – by Jefferson Airplane

This is the toy basket in our office.

Every well-appointed office should have one. All good research into workplace design and environment shows that taking breaks at work increases productivity. So Huw, Aubrey, Jeff and I like to take regular breaks for some bursts of silliness in our collaborative space (the rug in front of the fireplace). We, of course, have an open plan office and so strategic use of a lot of sofas (our “renewal” space) and a full toy basket (our “lively” zone) are vital to the Be That Dog culture.

Obviously this office has a full toy basket because it’s our own office, it’s the Be That Dog headquarters. But lots more offices are welcoming dogs as colleagues.

And dogs are getting some high level positions at some of the world’s top companies. There are lots of dogs excelling in reception and welcoming committees, but their talents don’t end there. I think there are a lot of positions that really should be added to Linked In: Collaboration and Communication Officer, Chief Relaxation Officer, Social Chair and Head of Play, VP for Talent and Toy Acquisition, Senior Counsellor and Support Officer, Team Leader for Trust and Togetherness, and Job Satisfaction Director.

For instance, apart from my contribution of Jeffervescence to the team, I am also Head of Object Retrieval and Innovation at Be That Dog.

And you don’t just have to take it from me. Clever people have done studies to prove just how great it is for everyone to welcome dogs into the workplace. It’s not just many hands that make light work … take a dog to work … dogs make light of work!

Dogs in the office? That’s Jeffervescent!