When it seems as though the battle for language rights will never end (see: Section 1557 revisions and videos replacing interpreters in immigration court hearings), find something that will make you happy, a little less stressed, and hold on tight.
For us at CLI, that something isn’t a something at all, but more like a someone: Rudy.
Who’s Rudy?
Rudy, CEO Kristin Quinlan’s yellow lab who turned 10 in March, has been a regular fixture at the CLI office since he was a 2-month-old puppy. At nearly 110 pounds, he’s a gentle giant, and a favorite amongst the CLI team. In fact, when we outgrew our old building (which was dog-friendly) and moved into a larger one (which was not), we had him legally written into the contract to guarantee his attendance.
Dogs in the workplace
It’s no secret that dogs in the workplace offer a number of benefits for employees, such as decreasing stress, boosting productivity, providing social support, and facilitating more opportunities for interaction among coworkers in a positive setting. In what can be a fast-paced environment in the delivery of critical interpreting services with high standards of performance, Rudy’s infinitely good-natured demeanor is a calming presence we’ve come to depend on.
“There has always been something about being in the midst of a stressful situation at work and being able to look over at a giant, goofy dog with all four of his legs sticking straight in the air,” noted Quinlan. “Having our ‘group therapy animal’ around the office definitely helps to cut the tension and add some comic relief to the moments when we need it the most.”
What can’t Rudy do!?
Rudy is also the preferred chaperone on CLI’s Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day every spring, he’s a regular participant in office meetings, and his portrait is featured on our company website’s Team page. We joke about letting Rudy act as an occasional consultant when pricing contracts, based on a complex formula of blinks — you just have to catch him when he’s not napping, which consumes an impressive amount of his time. But the truth is, he’s an invaluable part of our office and a continual source of amusement and joy.
And Jen Keyes, CLI’s director of corporate communications, agrees. “There have been several occasions over the years where there was no option but to bring my son to work with me and have him attend marketing meetings. During our meetings, Rudy has always been the perfect, patient playmate and companion. It is safe to say that Rudy was a positive contributor to our overall productivity on those days.”
He’s the best PNW good boy
Despite the countless employee lunches Rudy has devoured from unattended desks and garbage cans, everyone loves him greatly.
“He spends his days going from office to office visiting each of his ‘co-workers’ and greeting newcomers at the front desk,” says translations lead Katie Moore. “Even our mailman knows him by name!”
As CLI’s unofficial mascot, Rudy is in many ways reflective of the qualities our company is proud of — reliability, friendliness, dedication, approachability, and responsiveness — and we wouldn’t want to be compared to anything else.
Rudy can’t speak another language (other than drool), but we have thousands of actual people who can.
Contact us if you have questions about our on-demand interpreting services — we’d love to hear from you!
