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A Melbourne agency is celebrating a big honour for one four-legged team member.
Office-mate Zard was recently awarded first runner-up in the Office Dog category of the #OZTOPDOG awards.
According to those at Leading Real Estate Sunbury, the placement is highly deserved. Tiffany Sacco, senior property manager at the business and Zard’s human counterpart, described the impact he has had on office culture as “drastic … to the point where we have noticed that when he isn’t in the office everyone misses simply just having him here”.
Not that Zard, an Australian shepherd, is interested in spending his days at home. According to Ms Sacco he’s out the door and down the driveway to the car every morning that she heads into the office now, as he knows the routine and isn’t keen to get left behind.
Brightening up the average work day, the team has also found him to be a comfort on the ones where the going is a bit tougher.
“The environment when someone is having a hard day or a busy day is so much more relaxed when he is here because everyone knows that they can go cuddle him on the couch or play a game of tug with him. He does quirky things too, like staring at people when they eat their food drooling beside them,” Ms Sacco laughed.
Beyond the benefits to team culture, he’s also made the Sunbury office something of a destination with tradies now popping in for a “Zard cuddle”, and many a client won over by the unconventional greeter when they come into the office. He even has a small routine of tricks that Ms Sacco and Zard show off when they have an audience and the available time.
Zard’s presence has been so popular that he’s found himself in good company. “We have other dogs come into the office sometimes, too!” Ms Sacco said.
With the Sunbury team quick to extol the benefits of making workplaces pet friendly, Ms Sacco has some advice for those interested in introducing the idea in their own office.
“I would just ask the boss to trial it and see how it goes,” she suggested, noting that it’s important to ensure your fur friend has the skills appropriate to cope with that kind of environment.
“I would ensure that the dog is well-trained and do a slow transition into the office. Zard was crate-trained at the start if he was ever ‘annoying’ in the office or disruptive. I always say to have a ‘place’ for the dog in the office as well,” she said.
Putting in the work with Zard has clearly paid off. “He honestly makes every single day at work feel like a blessing,” Ms Sacco said.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Juliet Helmke
Based in Sydney, Juliet Helmke has a broad range of reporting and editorial experience across the areas of business, technology, entertainment and the arts. She was formerly Senior Editor at The New York Observer.
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