Turning the tables on the dreaded commute: How offering e-bikes to employees can sweeten the return to the office

With eyes newly opened to the benefits of a more flexible approach to work, employees are looking for more than free ice cream, unlimited cappuccinos, and Taco Tuesdays to trade up the flexibility of remote working for the 9-5 in the office. That’s where our Company Bike Program comes in. By changing the way people commute to work, we can hit the Boost button on both people’s wellbeing and their attitude towards working from the office.

Some companies are opting for a more flexible, hybrid approach. And as part of their efforts to make the return to the office easier for employees, forward-thinking employers like Google and Nike are promoting e-biking as a way to improve the journey to and from work. The knock-on effect? Happier employees and a higher office turnout. And encouraging staff to use zero-emission e-bikes over a private car is a crucial way in which companies can achieve their sustainability goals.

Be in control of your commute

In the US, where the vast majority (over 80%) commute by car, surging gas prices are a major commuting turn-off. And those who drove into work in 2019 wasted an average of 54 hours sitting in standstill traffic. In London, bus and tube fares have seen the biggest rise in a decade, and with the biggest rail strike in 30 years causing chaos in the city in June, it’s no surprise commuters no longer want to be a slave to public transport schedules. But studies (like this one commissioned by Havard) have shown that people who work from the office one or two days a week are most productive. So, how can companies encourage this return? Well, one thing’s for sure – if you want your staff to be enthusiastic about coming in a couple of days a week, you need to offer them something that’s going to make a real positive impact on their day-to-day lives.

And that starts well before they get to their desk. The number-one reason employees around the world say they dread the return to the office is the time, expense, and discomfort of getting to and from their desks each day. Riding an e-bike to work turns the tables on the dreaded commute and puts you in the driving seat. No longer at the mercy of timetables, you set the times and make the rules. And if you drive a car to work, you can forget stressful traffic jams and the frantic search for a parking spot. Both time and money can easily be saved by switching to an e-bike, and riders feel less stressed, happier, and overall healthier by biking each day. Let’s break that down…

Boooooost employee satisfaction and productivity levels

A study into commuting and personal wellbeing found that each minute added to a commute affects anxiety, happiness, and general wellbeing. You’ll cut down your inner city journeys by 50% of the time on average as e-bikes are faster than cars on congested urban streets. Regularly riding a bike has endless positive effects on the body and mind, including improved fitness, better brain function, decreased stress, and boosted energy levels. And studies have shown that e-bike riders get about as much physical activity as those on ordinary bikes – being able to ride further distances with ease is something commuters will quickly get addicted to.

E-bike subscriptions have proven time and time again to be an innovative tool for finding and retaining employees – so why not give it a try? In cities like Austin and Paris, choosing to ride an e-bike has become more accessible and attractive to city dwellers with the introduction of financial incentives and improved infrastructure like bike lanes and bike racks throughout the city. And it's not just city municipalities worldwide that are changing attitudes towards biking. Progressive companies, like Ace & Tate, are turning to e-bike subscription programs to make choosing this new, sustainable form of mobility even easier. And you could be one of them, too. If you’re curious about how VanMoof can help, reach out to us and we’ll get you up and running in no time.