Bicycle – a popular employee benefit
There are a variety of benefits that employers can offer to attract and retain competent employees. One of the most obvious should be to offer a bike benefit to all employees. Many people today want to cycle to work because it is a flexible way to transport themselves in urban environments. You get from point a to point b at the same time every day without having to worry about delayed buses or traffic jams. For many, this is the crucial factor why they choose bicycle commuting.
Because imagine the situation that it is Monday morning and time to go to work. You lock the front door and go to the nearest bus stop. When you are almost there, you see the bus coming, start running but do not make it before the driver closes the doors and drives away. Well, it’s 10 minutes to the next bus so I guess it’s just to wait. The next bus arrives and you get on. It is crowded, people are sneezing and you just hope you do not get infected. The time to your first work meeting for the day is approaching and you feel the stress level raise when the bus is crawling in the rush hour traffic. Three minutes before your meeting begins, you run up the stairs to the office.
The alternative: You close the front door, take your bike and pedal away. You can feel spring is coming soon. You notice that the wind towards your face is balmy and the birds are chirping in the trees along the road. You are pedaling at your own pace and in your mind you begin to prepare for today’s first job meeting. Since you have cycled this distance before, you know that it takes exactly 25 minutes, so even today. You turn in front of the entrance to the office, lock the bike and enter. Refreshed after the bike ride and ready for the work day.
There are studies that conclude that the well-being of bicycle commuters is higher compared to those who travel with public transport or by car to work. One of the main reasons is the control over one’s own commuting time. It reduces stress.
Everyday exercise is, as everyone knows, very good for health. Cycling is an activity that virtually everyone can do as it is gentle on the body and can be adapted to your own abilities. Getting started with cycling is for many a more attractive exercise alternative than, for example, starting to go to the gym.
Bicycle commuters make a much smaller climate footprint than both public transport and, of course, motorists. For companies that are actively working to become more sustainable, the bicycle benefit is a given measure. Several companies today have a bicycle benefit as part of their environmental policy to encourage employees to use climate friendly transportation.
