Posted on 09/22/2006 5:40:19 AM PDT by Cagey
Some Companies Find Furry Companions Keep Employees Productive.
(CBS News) GREENSBORO, N.C. There is something about where Ryan Hayes works that millions of Americans would love.
Replacements Ltd. is a large china and silverware retailer with cookie-cutter corporate contemporary looks until you look closer. As CBS News correspondent Richard Schlesinger reports, Hayes has company in his cubicle: Coco, his beagle puppy.
He's not alone. There are dogs all over the company, which encourages its 500-plus employees to bring them in. It's a perk that pays off.
"You do work better because if you're maybe having a bad day, you can just look down at your feet and you smile," Hayes says. As for the barking, he says, "It doesn't bother me because I'm used to it."
Bob Page owns the company and has built it into a roughly $70 million-a-year business. It was his idea to allow dogs.
Dogs are welcome in the office, in the warehouse, and even in the showroom.
Bringing dogs to work might make good business sense, according to one survey that found 46 million Americans would work longer hours if they were allowed to bring their furry companions into work with them.
So what used to be unheard of is now becoming almost commonplace. About 20 percent of American companies, including giants like Google, allow dogs in the office. The theory is that dogs reduce stress and that's good for business.
"Anytime you have an employee that's content, I think they become more productive in general," Page says.
By and large, the dogs get along and express themselves only occasionally.
But have the dogs ever had an accident in the store?
"Well, they do occasionally have accidents," Page admits.
Coco got a little overexcited, but Hayes handled it. He went on with his day, Coco went on with hers and throughout the office, it was business as usual.
Video and slideshow at source.
Only a matter of time before the first lawsuit: an allergy, a bite, trip and fall, one "furry companion" going after another.
Heck, I want to bring my pet Komodo Dragon in and if they refuse, I'll sue for discrimination, bigotry, prejudice and racism.
Just to let you know, Bob Paige is gay as a maypole.
I wonder if I could bring my sweet, little Ralphie, my pet grizzly bear!
"Not that there's anything wrong with that."
Rows and rows of china make fine targets for wagging tails.
"Heck, I want to bring my pet Komodo Dragon in and if they refuse, I'll sue for discrimination, bigotry, prejudice and racism."
Replacements LTD, is one of the most Gay/Lesbian/Transgendered friendly companies in the nation. I'd bet if you wanted to have sex with your Komodo Dragon at work they'd find a way to accomodate you.
Not that there's anything wrong with that.
Just to let you know, Bob Paige is gay as a maypole.
________
And this is a cogent comment exactly how? I would love to bring my golden retriever to work. Does that make me gay, also?
Oooops.
I dropped in on Replacements Ltd. once when in North Carolina, because I had seen about the dogs on television, and I was curious. It was a very pleasant place. The dogs were well behaved, and so were the people. Maybe it's because they're all Southerners. Replacements had lots of silver etc. on display, but arranged so that breakage wouldn't be a big problem. The dogs were more interesting than the silver etc.
I don't know. You seem kind of sensitive about it.
Bob's dogs are his children. That's why they are there. His partner works there as well. Or used to anyway.
Is this where you went to check on your wedding crystal?
That ain't hay. It sounds like Bob knows what he's doing and he appears to be doing it honestly. That's all that really matters.
Real men like cats.
(signed)
Maceman's Cat
Silver Beauty, my paper clip.
LOL. What again is your point?
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