3 Ways to Promote Sustainable Commuting in Your Workplace

With environmentalism no longer a niche cause and now firmly at the forefront of the average commuter’s conscience, thinking green can now be considered the norm. As such, businesses big and small across the world are beginning to implement eco-friendly practices within their operations, in an effort to satisfy consumer demand and, in ethical terms, to reduce their contributions to global pollution and waste.

 

But how do you instil a similar mentality in your employees to ensure your business operates sustainably from the ground up? Well, today, we’re looking at exactly that - offering up three ways you can promote more environmental forms of commuting within your workforce, reducing the use of cars (one of the biggest causes of pollution) as a result.

 

 

With a shocking 75% of carbon monoxide pollution in the US being caused by motor vehicles, the environmental damage of diesel cars is clear for all to see - and this is only furthered still when paired with the fact that over three-quarters of US commuters drive to work alone.

 

Of course, driving is the most convenient form of commuting for many workers and, as such, eliminating the use of cars altogether is an unrealistic goal. Instead, look to reduce the amount of cars per workforce by introducing a carpooling system, where employees give each other lifts into the office. To do this, group together employees who live within close proximity and encourage them to swap the designated driver week-to-week to ensure the financial burden doesn’t land on one person.

 

 

For businesses based in the center of the city, public transport provides a quick and direct way for commuters to get from A to B. However, getting employees to swap their commute of driving along to their favorite morning radio show to standing in a crowded carriage without a semblance of personal space is, understandably, no easy feat!

 

With the rush-hour madness of public transport commutes between the hours of 7:30am and 9am and 4:30pm and 6pm being one of the biggest deterrents, why not look to combat this by awarding your employees more flexible working hours? Making the experience of public transportation more relaxing by enabling workers to travel at quieter times, you may encourage many workers to trade the rush-hour traffic behind the wheel for a seamless subway ride into the city.

 

 

Of course, the greenest form of commuting is to travel by emissionless means. As such, promoting walking, running or cycling to work is the easiest and most effective way of reducing your business' carbon footprint, in addition to encouraging a healthier lifestyle among your employees.

 

To do this, ensure you have the appropriate facilities to cater for more active commuters. For runners, for example, installing showers and convenient staff lockers in your office space will allow them to freshen up upon their arrival and store their gear in a safe and secure place. For cyclists, on the other hand, having appropriate bike storage in the form of a bike rack or shed will encourage workers to switch four wheels for two.

 

With the planet in disarray, we all need to do our part to create a greener tomorrow. With these handy tips, we hope you can encourage your employees to begin thinking about a greener means of transportation to the workspace - after all, future generations of our species stand to benefit. To find out about how satisfied your employees are with your sustainability efforts and other elements of day-to-day work life, consider an employee survey to find out where there’s work still to be done.