Calling all workplace boosting canines

A nationwide search to celebrate our canine colleagues in the workplace is underway with entries now open for the 2022 NZ Top Office Dog competition.

Frog Recruitment’s seventh annual Top Office Dog competition is calling for nominations in three categories: New Zealand’s Top Dog with a Job, New Zealand’s Top Home Office Dog – a people’s choice category, and the ultimate and top prize – New Zealand’s Top Office Dog.

Our faithful furry friends have become more prominent in our working lives as more New Zealand workers adapt to hybrid work from home scenarios.

As more Kiwi workers return to their regular workplace, nearly two thirds (63 percent) of workers reported experiencing dog-owner-separation anxiety (DOSA), according to a recent poll by Frog Recruitment.

Forty five percent of workers polled admitted their DOSA has led to them bringing their four-legged friend into their office during work hours, and almost half (21 percent) of these dogs are now accompanying their owner to work on a permanent basis.

Others have embraced a more flexible working from home model to help reduce their DOSA, with over 60 percent of those surveyed changing their working habits to include working from home part time (37 percent) or fulltime (25 percent).

Frog Recruitment Managing Director Shannon Barlow says dogs have a positive impact on people’s mental health, and their role in increasing productivity in the workplace has been well documented.

“Dogs at work are known to improve workplace culture. The data also tells us they play a role in reducing separation anxiety for workers in this pandemic age.  The Top Office Dog competition celebrates all of these things, and is an opportunity for us to applaud the companies that value the role of dogs at work and how they support employees to do their best work, while boosting mental health in the workplace,” says Barlow.

Last year’s competition saw over 400 entries from across New Zealand enter to battle it off for the trophy. Trust (pictured), a cattle-cross from Auckland was the 2021 winner of ‘Top Office Dog’.  Trust was given the title ‘Wellbeing Officer’ at Family Works Waitemata where her owner, social worker Phoenix Llewellyn was employed.

Phoenix says because of Trust’s ‘beautiful soul and loving nature’ she made a difference to people’s lives and was assigned the special job.

Judging will be undertaken by sponsors Petstock, Frog Recruitment and dog trainer and behaviourist, Mark Vette. The winners will be announced live on Frog Recruitment’s Facebook, Linkedin, and Youtube channel on Thursday 29 September 2022.

Entries for the competition can be made at www.nztopdog.co.nz.  The Top Office Dog winner will receive the Top Dog trophy, a paw-some $1000 PETstock voucher, Doggles eye wear and a bow courtesy of PETstock and Royal Canin.