Improve employee retention and well-being with transportation solutions
Heavy reliance on car commuting can pose significant challenges to organizations and their employees. Car dependency can create several business risks, especially when employees have few or no transportation alternatives. These challenges can also affect talent acquisition and retention, making it harder to attract talent to a workplace where the only transportation option might be to drive. Public transportation and other transportation options are often not well-serviced in locations far from city centers, so employees face difficult or expensive commutes, which can impact productivity.
Employees can feel higher stress levels and lower job satisfaction when needing to drive long commutes. According to the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, employees who face long commutes are more likely to be chronically stressed and less likely to feel engaged with their work. When there are few or no transportation options, employees can find driving alone to be difficult, prohibitively expensive and time-consuming.
Organizations should consider offering transportation to employees to mitigate business risks of transportation and commuting. Organizations can offer transportation like Fixed Route, On Demand or FlexRide to make it easier for employees to arrive at work on time and ready to be productive. Transportation solutions yield many benefits, including cost savings, environmental sustainability and increased employee satisfaction.
Supporting employees with transportation options and encouraging alternative transportation at your organization can be more cost-effective than maintaining large parking facilities and parking programs. Decreasing the number of vehicles on the road also reduces greenhouse gas emissions and helps organizations meet their climate action goals. Giving employees access to efficient and reliable transportation options can increase satisfaction and well-being.
Seattle Children’s Hospital is a leading example of a successful commuting program. By starting and growing a robust transportation demand management (TDM) program including different modes of transportation, the hospital reduced its drive-alone rate among employees by about a quarter. Originally targeted for completion by 2030, the hospital hit that goal a decade early. This program improved employee satisfaction, addressed parking constraints and supported the hospital’s sustainability goals.
Employees stand to benefit when transportation options are provided by their employers or the larger metropolitan area. According to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), employees who commute using public transit report higher levels of happiness and lower levels of stress than those who commute by car.
Employers can address the challenges of car dependency by providing transportation options for your organization. This can result in significant benefits for employees and the larger organization. Transportation options can increase talent acquisition and retention, supporting a more sustainable and satisfied workforce. Successful transportation programs like Seattle Children’s Hospital can inspire similar improvements in commuting efficiency and employees' well-being.