Parents who play with their kids are more creative in the workplace, study finds

In the immortal words of child psychologist Jean Piaget, “Play is the work of childhood;” however, a new study proves that play isn’t just beneficial for kids—it can positively impact working parents, too.

Research company Opinium, on behalf of LEGOLAND New York, asked 100 American CEOs about their thoughts on how employees who play with their kids at home translates to their work style, and the results were overwhelmingly positive.

“We see parents getting fully immersed in the LEGOLAND New York experience and creating memories with their little ones through play every day. We had a theory that parents can translate this creative, imaginative, playful energy to their adult work lives too,” Stephanie Johnson, Divisional Director of LEGOLAND New York Resort, tells Motherly. “In the study, we saw that a majority of CEOs (68%) agree that play time with kids can lead to more creativity at work.”

In addition to creativity, 79% of respondents believe play positively impacts innovation and culture in the workplace—and a staggering 94% of CEOs think play can help reduce employee burnout.

So what can companies do to ensure their employees are getting enough play in their lives? Offer PTO (Play Time Off)! The majority of CEOs who took the survey (66%) said they would consider offering benefits that encourage employees to play more, including time off to play. LEGOLAND is doing its part by launching a new initiative that motivates working parents to “take the play time off” by pledging to use it at LEGOLAND New York this summer. The first 10,000 participants will be entered to win “parents play free” entry codes for the park. 

Setting aside time for play isn’t the only way employers can empower working parents. The Fifth Trimester and Vivvi recently teamed up to publish a report called “The R.O.I. of Caregiving Benefits” that unearthed some remarkable statistics about how family-friendly practices in the workplace improve productivity and increase profits.

Nearly half of the respondents (42%) who considered leaving their job in the last year said they stayed because of how their employer supported their caregiving, and 59% said if they had back-up or subsidized childcare they’d be likely to stay with their company for at least four years. In turn, devoted employees result in more profits for companies. The case studies show that every $1 invested in caregiving benefits and culture drives $18.93, for an R.O.I. of nearly 18x.

These studies may produce differing types of data, but there’s a common message: supporting working parents is good for business.