We came across several studies that suggest that employees staying closer to the office happen to stay in the company for longer. This is because everyone hates a bad (or long) commute. However, the cost of rental in business districts puts that out of the reach of most of the employees that we know, so a longer commute is necessary for most people. This can be a problem, as increasingly more people are moving towards remote work and shorter stints at companies.
Therefore it is up to organisations to provide solutions that suit both the budget and the employee needs. Here’s what organisations can do, in order to smoothen and simplify commute for employees.
Flexi-hours are extremely effective
Flexible work hours are quite common nowadays and have been shown to be extremely effective. As the workforce grows younger with millennials starting to outnumber everyone else, it has become quite a popular choice.
Providing flexible work hours will also prove to be a tool for organisations to relieve the commuting woes of employees. Removing the need to clock in at 8am means that employees can avoid the morning rush or even make their appointments on time by coming in earlier or later depending on when they need to do something. This means fewer hours on the road and overall, a happier workforce.
Adopt transparent policies
HR also plays a role here, where they need to come up with clearly defined rules and policies for employee transportation. This includes reimbursement policies, reducing the time to process claims and ensuring everyone easily understands everything.
Take in employee feedback and build a system that works for most people, making it easier for them to be reimbursed or automate the claim process. This should help alleviate the frustration they may feel with a long daily commute. More on that in the next point.
Make reimbursement easy
If you’ve ever had to submit a claim before, you probably know how much of a pain it can be.
For an employee, having to jump through a lot of hoops to jump, just makes it worse than it already is. However, technology does exist that allows you or at least makes it easier to automate the entire process. From as simple as using Grab for Business to automate taxi and car rides, to introducing biometric software and automation tools, you can make the claims process seamless and unintrusive.
Provide a transport allowance
Companies can do a lot, even if they are not providing transportation services. For instance, covering the cost of public transportation is an affordable and effective way to make the daily commute less of a hassle. While public transport is generally quite affordable, offering free rides often provides a bit of comfort in the knowledge that your company cares about you.
Companies can also provide car services and shuttle buses for employees during special occasions or celebrations. Fuel subsidies and parking benefits can also help those who drive to work as well.
Employees have been struggling and often come in late or contribute to growing absenteeism. It has can actually affect their mental health, stress levels and the quality of their work. Organisations that believe their core strength lies in the workforce must figure how to make the employee commute smooth, fun, and simplified.