5 Lessons from our Community about Working from Home

As part of the ever-adapting customs this year, much of the global workforce has traded their office desk for a corner of the kitchen table. Work now happens at home. Our lives as employees need to coexist with our family lives in new ways. With more schools announcing distance learning this fall, kids will also be joining us as the long term “work from home” team members. This productivity vs. positivity topic is discussed daily as families seek ways to balance work and family duties.

We asked our Air O Sport community about their experience in a recent survey and we found some insight and creative solutions! We believe their feedback may resonate with many of you since the changing employee experience is part of a larger societal shift. We care about this intersection between work and play since those two topics define our passion as a company; family and finding time for fun.

We asked our employees what the biggest challenge was working from home, and over 60% responded maintaining productivity levels in an environment marked by distractions. While the problem was affecting employees across demographics, it was especially problematic for parents. With many of our employees with children now filling dual roles as employees and homeschooling parents, this overlap of family space and workspace is especially tricky. One employee remarked that “with very young kids and no home office room available, it is very difficult to complete tasks without interruptions and distractions constantly breaking up your train of thought and productivity definitely suffers.”

Several comments in a similar vein also highlighted the fact that keeping children engaged and entertained was a factor in finding time to complete work tasks. An often noted problem was finding fun replacements for the “kid activities” the children were now missing. Now that recess and gym class activities have been canceled, kids look even more to their parents, or a screen, for diversion. One parent cited that the difficulty of “keeping the kids’ activities new and fresh day to day as we don’t have many options living in a rural community” was a factor. Another employee remarked that “Finding ways to keep the kids entertained and active would be great so that I could get some work done and have fun with them.” Of the responses received, 70% commented that they felt their employer was understanding of the challenges of working from home. Still, the challenge of being productive remains – leading us to conclude that being understanding is appreciated, but it’s not alleviating the problem.

Air O Sport can bridge this gap between companies looking to not only be understanding of their employee’s situation but offer tangible support. Employee “wellness” programs offering ergonomic chairs and stand up desks don’t really meet the changing needs. Being a productive employee is now also about finding the balance for the whole family.

With Air O Sport, it’s easier than ever to make family fun a priority. And with an almost endless variety of games that can be played by any age and skill level, it’s a great addition to employees’ backyards. It’s a particular time in the day reserved for fun, family, and play. A shared moment for kids to practice their trick shots together, or for their parents to get some light physical activity to make them more productive employees.

Whether you’re interested in purchasing an Air O Sport for yourself or looking for a simple way to bring more fun into your work-at-home employees’ lives, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us today to learn about group discounts.