There are over 550,000 dogs in Switzerland, a number that has risen sharply since the Covid-19 pandemic. But with the return to face-to-face office work, dog owners face a dilemma: what to do with their pet? More companies are meanwhile considering whether to accept dogs in the workplace. The Swiss food giant Nestlé has been accepting dogs at its head office in Vevey for the past eight years. This programme, initially launched in its animal food department, has now been extended to other parts of the company. Today, around 30 dogs proudly wear an “office dog” badge, but not before undergoing a test to ensure that they are fit for office life. Several studies confirm that the presence of a dog reduces stress, improves communication and strengthens loyalty to a company. At Nestlé, everything is organised to ensure that cohabitation goes smoothly: dedicated lifts, accessible meeting rooms and even a “pet champion”, a person in charge of the dog programme. “We still have to have rules ...
