Hong Kong boss uses pet dog as team building tool

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There is a great deal of research that demonstrates the positive effects of having pets in the workplace. One local boss really took these studies seriously and brought a white Labrador to work with the intention to boost staff moral, according to a Hong Kong Discussion Group blog post.

The writer of the post said his boss brought the dog to work and has requested employees to take turns taking care of it as a team building exercise. A roster detailing which team member is "on duty" for the day to care for the dog has been put up outside the meeting room. The poster said it reminded colleagues of their days in school, when they referred to a roster to take turns wiping the blackboard and mopping the classroom floor.

Unlike going to work, taking care of a dog is a 24/7 job, which means there are no days off. Every weekend an employee is assigned to take the dog home. The writer of the post said he is a dog lover and keeps dogs at home, so it's not an issue for him to care for one more. But colleagues who do not own dogs are going to struggle.

Reactions towards this team building exercise have been divided, with some dog-loving respondents asking if the company is hiring because they would love to join.

On the other hand, some readers of the post think the boss is trying to dump the responsibility of taking care of the dog on his employees. Other people commented it is not ideal for the dog to live in a different place every weekend.

Most office buildings in Hong Kong do not welcome dogs, nor are they allowed on public transport, making it impractical to bring pets to work. Please share with us on social media what your thoughts are on pets in the workplace.

ALSO READ: Why Millennials love their pets more than their jobs

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