free stitch Company Internship Staff Interview
free stitch regularly invites students to come and work with us temporarily as part of our internship scheme. We ask our interns to participate in a short one-week pre-internship before they begin their long-term internship proper. In July 2002, we took the opportunity to interview one of our interns who came to work with us at our office.
The student who came to our office this time was in the middle of their graduate job search and was specifically focusing on companies that allow employees to bring their pets to work. We asked them for their impressions after spending time working in a dog-friendly office.
Q1. How was the one-week pre-internship?
As this was my first internship, I was concerned that I would not many chances to talk to other members of staff. Then one day, a member of staff brought their dog into the office. The dog came up to me to greet me, which made me feel a lot more relaxed about working in an unknown environment and I was able to relax. I felt that the presence of pets changed the atmosphere of the office, and since it is quite rare to see animals moving around freely in the workplace, I found it very appealing; however, I felt a little anxious when I brought in my own dog.
In terms of actual work at free stitch, I found that there was a lot more event-related planning and preparation work than I had expected. When I had a chance to assist at one of the free stitch charity photo shoots, I was able to meet and interact with a wide variety of dog breeds and their owners.
Q2. You mentioned that you felt anxious when you brought your dog to the free stitch office.
I was a little concerned that I would cause trouble and bother other dogs and staff when I brought my own dog. I was also nervous about commuting to the office with my dog. I have never taken public transport with my dog before and I have to commute by train to the office in the city center from the suburbs.
The Dog-friendly Office Project holds a ‘level check test’ to ascertain the personality and training level of dogs before admitting them to the office. For more details on the level check system, click here.
Q3: Why do you want to work for a company that allows employees to bring their pets to work?
I live alone with my dog due to family reasons, and I feel that having my dog by my side gives me emotional support and cheers me up. I wanted to work for a company where I could bring my pet to work because I felt attracted to a professional environment where I could share the happiness that pets bring.
I also wanted to tell as many people as possible that there is a workplace where pets feel included, and not feel stressed or lonely.
Q4: You said that your pet is often left at home during university classes or club activities.
There have been times when my dog has gone into rooms where he is not allowed and has made a mess of the furniture.
Q5. Is there anything interesting that stood out to you when you came to the dog-friendly office?
I found it fascinating that so many different dog breeds came to the office and I felt it facilitated communication between members of staff; however, I was concerned about how people would react if the dogs started barking or got over-excited. I was also curious to know how staff feed and walk them during working hours.
*The Dog-Friendly Office Project offers consultation and training for pets who exhibit problematic behavior when coming to the office. Click here for more information.
We will continue to gather feedback from people who want to work at a dog-friendly company and introduce our scheme to those who wish to improve their quality of life with their pets.
Click here to see a news roundup of the Dog-friendly Office Project so far.
For more information, check out the Dog-Friendly Office Project SNS!
