When the sun is warm, the living is easy, and… the orange cones are out?
Oh yeah, road construction. Add on top of that sports traffic, people trying to leave town, and tourists coming (if you live in that kind of area). Together it all sounds like a quick way to ruin the Zen start to someone’s day.
But it doesn’t have to be that way! How can you help your employees make the most of their summer commute? Here are a few ideas:
Micromobility is a method of transportation that uses lightweight vehicles such as bicycles or scooters — particularly electric ones.
Encourage employees to shake up their commute by renting an e-bike or scooter during the warmer months. Spending your commute outdoors is a great way to boost mood, positively impacting employee engagement and productivity.
Summer is the perfect time to try out a new method of transportation or even a new route. Try taking the “long way home” and discovering new places to stop along the way. You could find your new favorite restaurant, bookstore, pub, or shop!
Grab a bike
Biking is an excellent way to incorporate fun and fitness into your daily routine, and it’s National Bike Month!
Biking helps lower blood pressure and boost energy, and exercise of any kind has been shown to alleviate symptoms of depression. Outdoor exercise also improves mood by releasing endorphins and stimulating neurotransmitters, which control emotional response.
Health guidelines recommend about two hours of moderate activity each week to combat stress, so biking a 25–to-30-minute commute a few times a week will help employees hit this goal.
Carpool with a friend
Talking to a friend is the best medicine for a stressed mind – and cheaper than therapy. Being in the presence of a close friend has been proven to lower cortisol levels. One study found that spending time with someone who is happy makes you more than 15 percent more likely to be happy yourself.
Commuting with a friend or co-worker is an excellent way to incorporate social time and fun into a busy schedule. Consider setting up a rideshare group in the office to connect co-workers who live near each other.
During the summer months, public transportation is usually less crowded, so it’s a great time to take advantage of letting someone else drive. Use the time to catch up on emails, plan your day, meditate, play Wordle — the options are unlimited.
Turning the driving over to someone else also allows you to partake in de-stressing by reading, meditating, or even napping.
Put commuter benefits to work for you
Sometimes we all need extra encouragement to try new things like biking to work or taking public transportation. To encourage employees to use public transportation, consider offering commuter benefits.
Commuter benefits allow employees to set aside money in their paychecks tax-free every month to pay for commuting costs. Those savings mean employees pay less in tax on those earnings.
They can spend the money on mass transit, qualified paid parking, or rideshares. The money is paid directly to a transit or parking vendor or set up on a voucher or debit card.
No one wants to think about spending their summer commuting. But there are ways to take advantage of the time that results in physical, emotional, and mental benefits.
With options like micromobility, biking, and public transportation, you can encourage employees to get outdoors, try new things, and make the most of their summer commute. And to ensure you’re offering the best commuter benefits, schedule a meeting with us today so we can help you find the options for you and your employees.
