How Hygienic Is Having Dogs In The Office?

With today (June 21st) being bring your dog to work day, we thought we’d answer the questions that many office workers think in relation to dogs in the office… Just how hygienic and clean is it to have a dog in the office? 

In our office hygiene study, we surveyed 5,000 workers about their office habits and thoughts about general hygiene in the workplace. When it came to dogs. an overwhelming 77% of people thought that having a dog in the office is unhygienic, with 85% of over 60’s in particular sharing this opinion. 

Whilst they may be considered to be unhygienic, there’s no denying the studies that have proven that bringing a dog to work reduces overall stress, and even promotes teamwork!

Is an office with a dog still a clean place to work?

But, despite the public opinion, is it actually hygienic to have a four-legged friend in the office? Is it really as bad as people think? 

A study on the difference between the mouth germs carried by humans and dogs are roughly the same at around 400 bacterial species, however the dog germ were completely different and not what our immune systems are primed to fight. 

Scientists recommend that you being close to a dog is fine as long as you wash your hands afterwards, especially when working in a shared office space or small workspace. We tell all of our clients who rely on the SMC Premier team to regularly clean their offices that proper hygiene starts with you.

So yes, having a dog in the workplace is a perfectly fine thing to do, so long as you clean regularly and ensure that the dog is not jumping on work surfaces, particularly in shared areas.

Not got time to keep on top of your office cleaning? Get in touch with a team that does.