Employees working alone may not get the same opportunities to boost their wellbeing by chatting with fellow colleagues as those in traditional workplaces.

However, tree surgeon Michael Hickling is far from lonely in his job after he found a chatty companion that is not afraid of heights.

When Hickling is harnessed up trees he is always accompanied by Sammy the parrot. The friendship started eight years ago when Hickling started looking after Sammy because his previous owners could no longer take care of him.

Speaking to the The Telegraph Hickling said: “My colleague was working at their house in Derbyshire and started talking to them about Sammy. They said they were getting a little old for pets.

“She thought I would be ideal, because I’m always up trees and I always whistle to the birds. Sometimes they even fly over and sit with me!”

No doubt Hickling finds that having a chatty parrot as a workplace companion beats office-based Tweeting …

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