A (Dog’s) Day in the Life at UPMC Enterprises

Culture UPMC Enterprises

By: Hershel Walker Petrasek, Barketing Associate

Follow in the footsteps pawprints of Hershel during his day at UPMC Enterprises.

I’m a simple man; I need food, water, treats, and enough stimulation and hard work to justify my typical 20-hr/day nap schedule. That’s why I get so excited when I get to tag along with dad for a day at the office.

In case you missed posts from some of my co-workers, we dogs get two days a month to come in and disrupt the status quo. I’ve always been more of a big ideas guy, so that’s plenty of time to come in, spread inspiration, and then chew on what’s next at home until my next work day.

On a doggie day, I typically wake up around 6:00 am for my morning walk. I (sit next to the) shower, brush my teeth, and enjoy a hearty breakfast of kibble. This keeps me focused on my (human’s lap during the) morning commute.

We’ll typically get into the office around 8:30 am, settle in with a fresh cup of water and then get down to business. My human tells me he’s part of the marketing team, which means we get to work on a lot of different things throughout the day. This month we’ve already helped name and brand a new company, finalized plans for upcoming conferences, updated a website, and written a case study. And that’s on top of attending meetings and answering emails.

It’s a busy job, so I’m ready for my first nap around 10:30 am. Thankfully, we have a prime spot near one of the many kitchens, which means I’m always awakened by the delicious scent of lunch. My human eats a very strict diet of not dog food and shares his delicacies with me every now and then. I’ve offered up my kibble several times, but he doesn’t seem interested *shrugs dog shoulders.*

When lunch is over, it’s back to business. Meetings, phone calls, emails, and a trip or two outside for some fresh air. Then, you guessed it, nap number two. I’m usually soothed to sleep by the purposeful taps of what he calls “the keyboard.” I’ve joined meetings where they talk a lot about content, specifically the great ideas I’ve brought to the table. Past gems include features on my favorite work pals, the unsung work-from-home cat heroes, where to get the best treats, and of course, a map of the best fire hydrants within a 1-mile radius. I’ve only seen a few of these stories posted on the blog, so I’d assume he’s working on the rest during this pivotal “content” time. Either way, developing the big ideas is hard work, so it’s time for a well-deserved nap.

By the end of the day, I’m dog tired, but we still have one more thing to do. My human and I take a quick walk around the office, stopping to greet fellow two- and four-legged employees alike. I flash my big eyes and adorable underbite in the hopes of belly rubs and/or treats. Then it’s back in the car for our commute home.

Being a working dog is tough, but seeing the smiling faces of everyone around me makes it easy to keep coming back. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to what I do best, napping.

Interested in joining our team of hard-working dogs (and humans)? Check out our latest job openings!

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