Go Inside the Aha! Offices (the Perks May Surprise You)

Welcome to the office of your dreams. Here you will find your favorite snacks, cozy spots for your pets, and gear to play all the sports you love. Everything is expressly tailored to your exact specifications. You can even chat with family members while you are enjoying your freshly-brewed espresso. This may sound like a fantasy, but it is how our team at Aha! works every day. How?

Remote work — we believe that people who have the freedom to choose where they work will be happier.

I have written before that Aha! was founded on the premise and the promise of remote work. Six years in, we have seen the benefits of remote work firsthand. We are one of the fastest-growing software companies in the U.S. and we continue to hire exceptionally talented people across the globe.

Part of the freedom and flexibility of remote work is being able to create your own ideal workspace.

Some folks prefer a standing desk while others like to curl up on the sofa when it is time to power through to-dos. Each person can do whatever is most conducive to getting work done. But it is not just about the moments when you are working on your computer. Stepping away for a break is equally as important. And working from home, you can choose to surround yourself with exactly what you enjoy.

Our team is a special group of people. And we all bring a unique mix of skills and interests. Here is a glimpse at the unique “perks” in a few of our Aha! offices — the places and activities that help us recharge:

Baking “I love having all of my kitchen tools available whenever I need to decompress and treat myself. One of my favorite tools is this countertop steam convection oven, where I baked these gooey salted caramel brownies.” — Yuko Takegoshi, Engineering

Beekeeping “I have an apiary in the garden behind my house. It can be quite hypnotic to watch our honey bees flying in and out of their hives. And the best part? Fresh honey on toast!” — Andrew Vit, Engineering

Building “I love making things, whether I am working on a great new feature in Aha! or building something with my hands. LEGO Technic is one of my favorite things to make, and my two oldest boys enjoy helping me out. Here’s our current work in progress.” — Percy Hanna, Engineering

Exercising “I work out in my home gym every day during lunch. I have everything I need to stay fit and energize myself for the second half of the day — a power rack, pull up bar, treadmill, and exercise bike.” — Danny Archer, Customer Success

Gaming “I have a game room with pool, darts, and a shuffleboard table. Turning my mind off for a bit by playing games helps me refocus and come back to work recharged.” — Jennifer Bloom, Customer Success

Gardening “A lot of my daily tasks are abstract. The perfect foil to that is getting hands-on. My wife and I have a large garden in our backyard, and though shoveling several yards of topsoil is fun, fresh berries every morning are even better.” — Erik Johnson, Marketing

Playing music “I love getting to share my knowledge with our customers every day. And I love playing music too. Since we work remotely, I can get in a little afternoon jam session. The creative expression gives me inspiration to solve tough problems.” — Mike Maylone, Customer Success

Swimming “My apartment complex has a pool, so now that it’s warm outside I get to incorporate swimming into my lunch workouts. Not only is it beautiful, but it also helps me feel refreshed and ready to tackle my afternoon tasks.” —Nataliya Soloveva, Finance

Tinkering “There’s no shortage of fun. You may find me playing a quick video game over lunch, building a new LEGO set, or picking at my guitar while thinking through a tough design problem.” — Jon Eckert, UX

Water sporting “My backyard is a lake, and I definitely take full advantage of my proximity to the water. Swimming, wakeboarding, and jet skiing help me recharge and put a big smile on my heart.” — Julie Price, Product & UX

These are not just fun diversions from work — what you surround yourself with is a big part of who you are.

Remote work lets you choose what makes you happy and give yourself the space to recharge. When you do, you will find you often come up with better ideas and make more valuable contributions to the team. Add doing meaningful work that you are proud of and you have the necessary ingredients to cultivate sustainable happiness.

So while our company does not offer traditional “office perks,” we give our teammates something much greater — the ability to live and work exactly how they like. No ping pong table necessary. (Unless you happen to have one already.)

What do you do to take a break from work?

Work anywhere and be happy. Aha! is hiring right now.