Don’t travel in the dark, commute smart.
Now that the clocks have gone back the day’s will be getting dark earlier and earlier. If you’re concerned about the impact this will have on your staff, now’s the time to do something about it.
Sunday 8th November is the first day of National Commute Smart Week, seven days dedicated to looking at smarter ways of working and commuting. This year it will highlight ways of avoiding travelling to and from work in the dark, and the depression this can cause.
Each working day of the week will focus on a different measure that could help to keep your staff happy and motivated through the winter:
Monday – Flexible Working Day
Vary your working hours from the usual 9-5 to avoid sitting in traffic in the dark.
Tuesday – Remote Office Day
Encouraging use of remote offices instead of travelling to a central office.
Wednesday – Virtual Meeting Day
Hold meetings by telephone, teleconference or online instead of travelling to meetings.
Thursday – Healthy Commute Day
Get some exercise on your way to work by cycling or walking instead of driving.
Friday – Road Congestion and Road Safety Day
Road users are more at risk of an accident on Friday than any other day of the week, especially during the winter. Encouraging smarter working and commuting could help to reduce this risk.
Organisers Work Wise UK will be posting tips and guides to working smarter in the run up to National Commute Smart Week. Alternatively you can use it as a chance to highlight your own travel initiatives that might help ease the burden of winter journeys or here are some of our suggestions:
Car sharing is perfect for this time of year – staff can share the cost of their daily drive saving money and reducing the amount of cars on the roads so they’ll have a quicker commute. If your company has its own liftshare network why not take a day to show staff how it works? Or introduce them to Nottinghamshare – a county-wide liftshare scheme that could help them find their perfect car sharing partner.
Darker days can mean sleepy starts so it’s a good time to let someone else do the driving. Whether it’s travelling by bus, tram or using the park and ride system, going by public transport can give your staff more time to prepare for the day. They could read a book, catch up on some work or have a nap so they’re refreshed and ready for work. Initiatives such as the popular salary sacrifice scheme could help more staff catch the bus, reducing the need for parking spaces on your site. Or simply encourage staff to use the public transport network – more priority measures for buses can mean shorter journeys and less time lost in the office due to traffic jams on the way to work.
If you decide to do something to celebrate National Commute Smart Week the Big Wheel can provide publications for you. Just email us and we’ll do our best to help you out. Alternatively visit the Work Wise UK website for more information and ideas to mark the week.
Find out more about how the Big Wheel can help your business.