Creating the ideal office environment is never easy, but a Tokyo web design company has found the purr-fect solution for its cat-loving staff: Employees are allowed to bring their pets to work.
Ferray Corp. in Shinjuku Ward introduced the policy in 2000 when it started out, and its current president, Hidenobu Fukuda, says the presence of felines in the office has reduced stress levels, promoted staff interaction and even aided the company's recruitment efforts.
It helps that Fukuda is a cat lover himself. He had a cat growing up and later kept three strays at home, which he started to bring to work, as did one of the founding members of the company. Employees asked if they could do the same, and the custom was quickly established.
Fukuda said six of the company's 15 employees arrive each day with their pet cats. Most of them live within walking distance of the office. One employee brings several cats to work.
Ferray’s office occupies two floors of a building and nine cats are in "residence" on any given day.
Female cats are assigned to the upper floor while the males roam the floor below--to prevent cat fights.
As cats and their owners sometimes work on different floors, employees are rotated every three months.
The youngest members of staff are given the chore of caring for the pets, which have free access to every nook and cranny of the office. When feeding time approaches, the felines gather quickly at the designated spot. Food costs are covered by the company.
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http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201706120001.html
