Congratulations to all the dogs who now suddenly find themselves working from home with their humans! Asa and I are fortunate to have the honor of being office dogs with our Mom and Dad for a few years now. Therefore we’d like to share some useful advice on how to make your new workplace environment an enjoyable experience for both you and your humans.
Focus: While you learn the ins and outs of their job, it is important that you stay focused on your human’s every move. This will make it easier for you to understand your role in this new relationship, so that you can work together towards a collective goal. We highly recommend following them throughout the day, with your undivided attention. Now I caution you, this will require you to perhaps reschedule or even skip your morning, mid-morning, late-morning, early afternoon, and late afternoon naps. But trust me, once you establish a routine, you can easily reinstate them as needed.
Enthusiasm: Studies show that people who are enthusiastic about their work are more productive. Therefore, we recommend you show interest in whatever work your human is doing, even if you don’t have a clue what their job is. The more exciting it appears to be to you, the more likely they will enjoy doing it. No matter how boring their job may seem to you, you must give them positive feedback. Therefore, if your human moves, stretches, or just shifts ever so slightly in their chair, you burst into your best happy dance to show them that you are excited for everything they are doing at work.
Teamwork: Suddenly being required to work from home can be an unsettling experience for your human, who may be more accustomed to working with a team. Remember, you are officially their team members now, and must collaborate on every project. Remember to be a good listener, when they bounce ideas off of you, but also be prepared to insert your opinion. We also suggest getting as close to their workspace as you can possibly fit. If that requires you to block their view of the computer screen, so that you can get a better look, do it. If you don’t agree with something they type, use your snout or paw to gently but firmly remove their hands from the keyboard. And above all else, remind your humans that the work of the team outweighs their individual needs.
Communication: Clear, concise and consistent communication is vital at all levels of a great working environment. After all, you two will now be spending a lot of time together working from home. Therefore if you feel the need to add your opinion, bark up! This is especially important when your human is on the phone or in a video conference. But I do caution, they may not always agree with what you say or how you say it, and will occasionally get upset. However, don’t take it personally, it is simply because they are embarrassed that they didn’t think of your suggestion first. So in fairness to your human, try to limit your barks to only what is absolutely necessary to say, especially when they are dealing with a supervisor or an important client. Remember, we want them to feel good about what they achieve at work. We cannot help that dogs are naturally smarter.
Creativity: Humans are creatures of habit, so Asa and I encourage you to enact creative changes in their new work routine. Personally, I’m a big advocate of the importance of doing yoga stretches. However, not all humans will be receptive to this idea. So to subtly increase their movement, Asa and I will position ourselves by Dad’s feet under the desk or next to Mom’s chair, to encourage them to sit in positions they may not normally do on their own while trying to get their work done. After all, everyone knows, let sleeping dogs lie. They wouldn’t dare disturb you by asking you to move. Throughout the day, by slowly shifting positions, you will encourage your humans to experience a wide range of new stretches while they strive to reach the computer on their desk.
Fun: We admit not every part of working from home with your human is enjoyable. However you can make the day go by faster with spontaneous bouts of running around the house, playing with squeaky toys, or creating new games with the office equipment. This can help lighten the day while they get the job done. Also take advantage of the fact they can now do things at home, which may have been frowned upon in their normal workplace. For example if your human was caught cuddling with a team member at the office, it probably would result in an uncomfortable discussion with Human Resources. However, when working from home cuddling with you is mandatory. So take breaks to cuddle, stretch your human’s legs by going for a lunchtime walk, and perhaps even fit in a game or two of fetch into their new work schedule. Also be sure to reward them for a job well done by enjoying a treat together.
In conclusion, this is a rare opportunity to have so many dogs suddenly working from home with their humans. Sure at times it may be stressful having your normal routine disrupted. Your humans may also exhibit signs of uneasiness as they navigate this sudden change in their lives. However, if you work together, this can be a very rewarding experience for both of you. Enjoy! Because unlike most things in the world of work, there is no clear timetable on how long this will last.
