How Commuting Takes Its Toll On The Workforce

How Commuting Takes Its Toll On The Workforce

Do you feel that your staff are arriving stressed to work in the mornings? If so, there are many reasons why your staff could be feeling under pressure, but an important one to consider is their daily commute. Professional burnout is very real, and difficult commutes are a leading cause of it. Workplace stress is not always directly related to being at work, it’s a factor of all the different aspects of the workplace. 

It can lead to complaints such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, increased blood sugar, weight gain and even depression and anxiety. Not only can a reduced commute reduce the risk of developing these ailments but it can also increase productivity. A study carried out by a private  health company found that people who spend 30 minutes or less commuting to work gain 7 days worth of productivity each year. 

The stress and financial burden of commuting to work can lead to increased stress- levels in the workplace. The stress of leaving/arriving at work on time, traffic jams and delayed public transport can all have a daily impact on stress levels before even arriving at the office. In turn, high stress levels can contribute to work burnout. Another study of 34,000 workers showed that those with a long commute were 33 percent more likely to suffer from depression than those who had a shorter journey to work. The same study also stated 37% were more likely to suffer from financial worries and 46% of workers received less than the recommended 7 hours sleep each night due to early morning commutes.  This shows how much of an impact commuting can have on employees’ wellbeing.

Commuting also adds time onto a person’s work schedule. While they may only work 8 hours of the day they may need to allocate 10 hours of their day in order to also travel to and from work. This interferes with patterns of everyday life by restricting free-time and reducing sleeping time. Less downtime after work can significantly lead to a build up in stress and can ultimately result in work burn out. Work burnout can often be a taboo subject, but it is a real issue which ultimately leads to decreased productivity and if not catered to the possibility of loss of staff. 

Why is it important to reduce commuting time?

• Decreased risk of developing ailments such as high cholesterol and blood pressure.
• Increased productivity 
• Less stress.
• Decreased threat of developing work related anxiety or depression.
• Less staff turnover

What is the solution?

If the commute to your office is taking its toll on your employees, what should you do to reduce the pressure? Firstly, decide whether you definitely need your staff physically present in the office full time. If not, the perfect solution in decreasing commute times is a hybrid approach. Hybrid work allows employees to blend working from different locations – the office, at home, or from co-working spaces. With hybrid working, long commutes are no longer an issue, especially when teams have a choice of coworking spaces to work from that are more convenient for where they live. 

If you feel the commute to your office is starting to take its toll on your employees it could be time to look into new opportunities. Co-working spaces can allow your employees to work that bit closer to home while still experiencing an office environment. 

If you want to begin the journey towards a hybrid workplace, allowing your employees to have a space close to home to work from, get in touch with us to arrange a 30-minute call.