It’s no secret Americans' commutes are getting longer, with the average commute at almost 30 minutes in 2017 — up about 20 percent from 2010. With the rise of living expenses within city limits, much of the workforce has opted to move to suburbs and exurbs of major cities while still holding their positions within the city. But jobs aren’t moving to the suburbs — in fact, they’re increasingly moving to downtown urban areas. Workers moving out of the city while jobs remain in city centers has caused the average length of American commutes to steadily rise.
Possibly even more alarming is just how bad commutes are for workers’ mental and physical health. According to recent studies, long commutes are linked to high blood pressure, high cortisol (stress hormone) levels, and lower overall life satisfaction. This is on top of the added financial stress a long commute can cause. Transit and parking fees, rising gas prices, and accelerated wear on your car all demand considerable chunks of one's income.
Given this information, we looked into what companies can and are doing to improve their employee’s commutes. From services like pre-tax commuter benefits and flexible telecommuting schedules, these programs are becoming more and more necessary. Take a look at our list below to find out what commute-related benefits you as an employer can offer your employees for a better commute.
Extensive employee benefits are becoming the norm. If you want to compete and retain those highly valued employees, consider the benefits listed above. If you’re an employee and you aren’t receiving any substantial benefits, you may want to consider taking your talent elsewhere. And if you’re looking for other ways to cut the cost of your commute, consider evaluating your car insurance rates.
Sources:
The Washington Post | Best Workplaces | JustWorks | Lending Tree | CNN | WageWorks | JustWorks | Fundera