Do Dogs have an impact on the Workplace?
Andrea Crisafulli, Makayla Wright & Paislee (German Shepherd, Husky, Rottweiler Mix/4 months), Albany, New York
It’s no surprise that Crisafulli Bros. was one of the Albany Times Union 2019 Top Workplaces. One reason they received this honor was definitely the company's Pet Friendly Policy! Dog Like Me interviewed Karen Donofrio, who is a Project Accounting Representative and Crisafulli Bros.’ official Pet Director.
Karen first saw dogs at work when she was little and used to visit her local Buster Brown Shoe Store all the time just to pet their dog. Once in a while, Crisafulli Bros. President, Andrea Crisafulli, brought her dog to work and Karen noticed how much the staff was re-energized with each visit. Karen did some research and came up with a policy that allowed employees to bring their dog to work on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She also surveyed employees to get their feedback and address any concerns they might have. The proposal was overwhelmingly approved, and employees began signing up for their turn to bring their dog to work in the Crisafulli Bros. office.
After the first six months, the program received a lot of positive feedback and proved to be a great success. Most of the Crisafulli Bros. dog visitors stick pretty close to their owner on their first day in the office, but once they get to know their way around, they set off to visit co-workers who will pet them, take them for a walk, or give them a belly scratch.
Employee morale is definitely better anytime they can share a little love with one of the visiting dogs. All of the dog visitors have to be highly socialized, house broken and not big barkers because Crisafulli Bros. employees spend a lot of time on the phone with customers. Crisafulli Bros. is committed to outstanding customer service, and you can feel the positive vibes the minute you walk in the door. So, if you hear a little bark in the background next time you call Crisafulli Bros., you know you’re talking to a happy member of their team.
Read more about Crisafulli Bros at https://www.crisbro.com/.
