Beyond anthropocentric workplaces: a multispecies perspective on human-animal interactions and employee outcomes

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Aim : The growing interest in the intersection of companion animals and work life, alongside the increasing need to consider multispecies work environments, has driven the adoption of animal-friendly organizational policies, although empirical research on their effects remains limited. Moving beyond anthropocentric perspectives, this shift reflects emerging posthumanist and sociomaterial approaches that conceptualize workplaces as relational spaces in which human and non-human actors crerate value. Drawing on Affective Events Theory (AET), the present study proposed that human–animal interactions (HAI) during work may function as affective micro-events that are associated with subsequent positive emotions, which, in turn, are associated with job satisfaction and innovative work behavior. The sample comprised 284 human resources consultants, and data were collected across three time points. The hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling. The results indicated that HAI at Time 1 was indirectly associated with innovative work behavior and job satisfaction at Time 3 through positive emotions at Time 2. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the mechanisms through which HAI influence workplace outcomes, suggesting that animal-friendly strategies, combined with flexible work arrangements, may foster more satisfying and innovative organizational environments. Moreover, they underscore the value of adopting a multispecies lens in organizational research, highlighting the role of non-human actors in shaping affective and performance-related outcomes at work.