The benefits of pets in the workplace
Meet Boots the English Staffordshire terrier. She’s our new “intern” whose main responsibility at Hughes and Lewis Legal is to receive head scratches, go for lunchtime walks and be a sounding board for our legal arguments. Having a pet in the workplace has brought an entirely new dynamic to our office time together.
It’s no secret our firm operates remotely with flexible work arrangements to suit our various lifestyle choices. Although our official base is in the Brisbane CBD, we work from our homes or favourite cafés, and we’ve also been co-working in a pet-friendly suburban office.
We’ve noticed the atmosphere is more relaxed and calming when Boots is around – a much needed tonic as we navigate the unpredictable times we are living in with the constant threat of a COVID-19 outbreak.
She’s a welcome distraction when we need a break from working on complex advices and she’s the perfect excuse to stretch our legs when we’ve been sitting at a desk for long periods. Boots is a friendly reminder of reality, of what is important in life, and gives us endless joy.
Traditional legal firms are not generally renowned for being happy places, as hard as they may try. Working in an adversarial environment is stressful and is, sadly, the nature of the legal sector.
Fortunately, we are not a traditional legal office – the way we have structured our firm means we can accommodate Boots in a co-working space. The unexpected benefits of having Boots have been many. Working in the office wouldn’t be the same without her.
About the author
Belinda Hughes is a Director of Hughes & Lewis Legal