INP Media in the Doghouse
Research has found that employees who bring their pets to work tend to have lower stress levels by the end of the day, and that their pet can help reduce blood pressure, decrease loneliness, help lower cholesterol levels and encourage physical activity.
The more cynical amongst INP Media’s staff quickly noted that this ‘research’ was commissioned by the pet food manufacturer Nestlé Purina, whose Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Kurt Venator, while gushing about pets providing “a calming sense during a challenging situation” also noted that pet-friendly work environments are viewed as both exciting and innovative.
INP Media is clearly an exciting and innovative film and video production company, because for some years now we have welcomed Freddie to our offices. Freddie is a barking mad cross between a poodle and a spaniel, but it could be argued that being barking mad is no drawback for a dog.
In a further exciting and innovative development, the award-winning INP Media has now welcomed a new animal to its fold. Lola is yet another cross between a poodle and this time a Labrador. Like Freddie, she is curly haired. Unlike Freddie, she has a quite remarkable corkscrew tail.
It remains to be seen whether, in time, Lola will disgrace herself at the office (on occasions in the past, Freddie’s alimentary canal has been highly irresponsible at both ends).
However, on the upside, according to Purina, having a pet at the office makes employees “feel more happy, relaxed and sociable”. Better still, employees apparently value bringing their beasts into work as a more attractive work benefit than free parking or free coffee.
Purina fails to address some perhaps more pertinent points for a commercial company: Do Freddie and Lola help INP Media create even more exciting and innovative films? Do these fine non-hair-shedding canines increase INP Media’s efficiency, agility, creativity, speed of response – even, dare one ask? – profitability?
More importantly still, what’s the National Minimum Wage when translated into dog biscuits?
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