By DAVID P. WILLIS
BUSINESS WRITER
Forget Take Your Dog to Work Day.

At IMC, a Holmdel marketing firm, dogs are at the job every day.

The company, which has about 20 employees, allows workers to bring their pets to work. At times, you might find Moose and Bella, two dogs owned by creative director Danielle Miles, chasing tennis balls down the hall. Owner Robert Zick sits at his desk with his pug Lilly (one of two he brings to work) on his lap as he works. Arthur, a English foxhound and beagle mix, lies in Bonnie Rose's office.

"We work against client deadlines all day, every day," said Zick, the firm's president.

"It can be very, very stressful, and there's nothing that relieves stress more than being able to when you're going crazy and you're up against a tight deadline walk out in the hallway and start throwing tennis balls down the hall and watch the dogs chase them and retrieve them."

It's safe to say most employers don't allow workers to bring their dogs and cats to work everyday.

According to a recent benefits survey by the Society for Human Resource Management, just 5 percent of employers allow pets at work. They are more prevalent at companies with fewer than 100 employees, as 8 percent of them allow furry friends.

Another survey by the American Pet Manufacturer's Association found more generous results, with nearly one in five employers allowing pets in the workplace.

Some larger companies, such as Amazon and Google, are well known for allowing dogs in the workplace. But where employee space is tight, such as insurers and manufacturers, employers frown on pets at work, said Joe Markert, an instructor in the department of management and global business at Rutgers Business School.

"Where there is little danger (to) the pet or the child, or an informal work structure, that is where you seem to have the ability to bring your child or pet to work," Markert said.

It helps create a relaxed workplace, often demanded by younger workers, and allows employees to have a better balance between work and life, he added.

At the same time, it doesn't lower productivity, said Cameron Woo, publisher of Bark magazine.

"I think people are trying to establish ways to make the work force happier. One way to is to allow those who have pets to bring them to work," Woo said. "This is a great benefit that says, "Hey, we are a little bit different and we value our employees and understand that their lifestyle might be different then the white-shirt, black-tie environment where our parents had to work.' "

Pets, in particular dogs, have a calming effect on people, Woo said, citing studies that show that they can lower heart rates. "Workplaces are often high-stress environments, so that's a benefit," he said. There is also less absenteeism related to pet issues, and employees don't find a need to game their workday to figure out how to get their work done and get home in time to take the dog out, said Jennifer Fearing, chief economist at the Humane Society of the United States.

IMC's Miles, who commutes from her home in Point Pleasant Beach, doesn't need to worry about pet care since her two retrievers, one golden and one chocolate, come to work with her.

"We don't always work 9 to 5," Miles said. "On a day when I have to be here late, I don't have to worry about finding people to let my dogs out. I can stay "til whenever."

Now Miles can't imagine not bringing her dogs to work.

Vicky Tomaro, owner of V. Tomaro & Associates, a financial planning firm in Wall, brings her dog, Mikey, to work everyday. On occasion, another employee in the firm brings a dog to work as well.

"I think it's sometimes just good for morale," said Tomaro. "Every once in a while, they will do something very funny. It is just calming and uplifting sometimes."

Zick said they give employees a quick release from stress. Afterwards, he added, workers "go right back to work."

The dogs do not hinder clients coming to IMC's offices. Zick said clients are told that IMC is a pet-friendly workplace and are asked if there are any problems.

"We haven't had any clients express concerns," Zick said. "Some clients actually ask if it is OK if they bring their pets."

Dogs, which can be trained and adapt to a routine, can meld into the corporate culture, said Fearing. She has helped develop strict guidelines at the Human Society for dogs in the workplace and a book "Dogs at Work: A Practical Guide to Creating Dog-Friendly Workplaces" is due out next month. She co-wrote it with dog trainer Liz Palika.

Done right, you would barely know a dog is there, Fearing said.

First, Fearing tries to counter the stereotype: dogs running around an office uncontrolled. At the Humane Society's offices, including one large office building with 300 employees in Gaithersburg, Md., dogs are not allowed to roam around.

The goal of bringing a dog to work is so a dog isn't left home alone. "The goal is not doggy day park going on in the office or dog and dog socialization," Fearing said. "We set this up to try to minimize the intrusion that dogs have on anybody else."

Along those lines, dogs aren't allowed in common areas such as meeting rooms, kitchens or major hallways. Owners can't bring their dogs, which must be leashed, in through the front doors or loading docks and have to use the door closest to their desk or office, Fearing said. The pets are also confined to the owner's workspace.

Dogs must be spayed, neutered, clean and have no history of aggression. They get a a six-week trial period in the office, which gives fellow workers a chance to voice concerns, Fearing said. "Because people know they are on probation, they start up with good habits."

These terms are meant to lessen the possibility of problems that might occur if employees are allergic, afraid, or just don't want to deal with dogs at work, Fearing said. "Any dog-at-work policy needs to put people first," she said.

In addition, the company also added filters to air conditioning systems and vacuums to pull allergens out of the air and carpets.