In the corporate world, where employee satisfaction measures are typically limited to surveys and HR-led coupon handouts, one organisation has decided to up their game and hire a Chief Happiness Officer. And unlike other C-Suite employees, this employee welcomes belly rubs and pets in exchange for boosting employee well-being and morale. The officer in question is a golden retriever named Denver, and the organisation that hired him is a Hyderabad-based robotics startup. In the post announcing Denver’s appointment, the co-founder of the organisation also announced that their workplace was now officially a pet-friendly zone. Needless to say, the move was lauded on social media with many users appreciating the impact it would make on employee stress. But in a long list of dramatic moves aimed more at social media virality than actual benefits, how does this one play out?

A photograph of Denver is highlighted on the company’s LinkedIn page. Pic Courtesy/Harvested labs on LinkedIn

According to one study by the Human Animal Bond Research Institute, there may be some truth to the organisation’s claims. The study found that 91 per cent of employees in pet-friendly environments show up every morning feeling more engaged in their work, while 85 per cent were less inclined to missing workdays for well-being or recuperation, as compared to 77 per cent in non-pet-friendly workplaces. “Animal-assisted therapy is a fast growing and highly beneficial therapeutic modality. While the idea of a furry colleague might sound novel, the therapeutic benefits of pets have been researched for years in psychology, medicine and workplace well-being,” explains psychologist Namrata Jain. She adds that with high-pressure environments, long working hours and a relentless hustle culture leaving employees feeling more stressed and disengaged than ever before, preventive and unique interventions such as pet-friendly offices can add a layer of emotional support.