Most of us are stuck working from home now due to the current global pandemic. It can get boring, but if you have a furry friend by your side, then it can be much less boring. In fact, it’s a chance to have some fun. So, if you’re a pet owner at home, you may want to take a page out of this man’s book.
Michael Reeg, a district sales manager for a drawer slide manufacturer, first began working from home instead of reporting to an office a few years ago. Of course, it was a transition that needed getting used to. However, he had a friendly coworker to get him through the transition: his dog Meeka.
She turned out to be one of the employees in Michael’s company.
As Michael shared with the Dodo from his Woodstock, Georgia home office, “Transitioning to a home-based position was quite a change. It’s quiet here. You need to get yourself fired up and excited about the day. Having a faithful companion in the office certainly helps.”
His dog Meeka would join him daily in his office when he would conduct business. Of course, her contribution to the business effort was mainly to nap, expect affection, and present her favorite tennis ball to Michael for playtime. However, her dedication as an employee even extended to when Michael was out of town.
As he said about Meeka, “There are times that I’ll even talk to her as I work through a problem or map out a customer solution. I try out my sales pitches and presentations on her. She’s not easily impressed or swayed. All she hears is ‘blah, blah, blah, Meeka’ — but she likes to hear my voice and I love that she pays attention. Having her in my office all day is something that we both look forward to.”
it didn’t take long for Michael to catch on to how much of a devoted employee Meeka was during the hours of 9 am and 5 pm. Taking this under consideration, he decided that she’d earned herself a great honor: Employee of the Quarter.
“If my office door happens to be shut she will spend the day laying in front of the door, just in case I’m really in there. In my opinion, that earned her the title of Employee of the Quarter,” Michael stated.
He even got her a formal plaque that he then hung on his office wall in order to commemorate the occasion.
His two daughters, Kennedy and Madison, were not surprised at all by this move.
As his daughter, Madison, said, “I was not surprised at all when my dad first showed me the framed picture of Meeka as Employee of the Quarter because Meeka is very loyal to my dad and his (their) work. I just thought it was hilarious.”
And for a few years running, Meeka continued to win the award each quarter – mainly because she was the only other employee, but also because she was such a good girl!
Even Michael’s bosses at his company were under the impression that Meeka was instrumental in helping Michael during the day to day of his job.
A spokesperson for Accuride International said, “He sends an update after every quarter. Meeka is an outstanding support to Michael and his work. Dogs are the best.”
And that should hopefully serve as an inspiration to those working from home during the pandemic. If you need something to boost morale, make your dog an employee – they’ll definitely earn their title.
