In 2010 a study by Central Michigan University wanted to test the large amounts of anecdotal evidence saying that dogs in workplaces had positive effects on workers. So Christopher Honts and Matthew Christensen developed an experiment that explored the effects of dogs on cooperation between colleagues.
The participants were divided into two teams. Each team was given a creative task to finish, at the end of which they were asked to fill in a questionnaire. One team had a dog in the office, while the other one chose to remain dogless.
The results revealed a significant difference in how the dog groups and non-dog groups behaved. The researchers found that the teams who had a dog with them ranked higher on qualities of trust, team cohesion, and intimacy than the teams who were dog-less. The results of the second experiment were that the teams who had a dog as a member of their group were 30% less likely to snitch on their other team members. These are very interesting and positive findings, showing how dogs can facilitate communication between people.
We hope that O Dog will do just that for us and our team with this new cute member we’ll grow even closer and rise to new professional heights!