MyPartTimePro reports that fuel prices and worsening traffic are driving 26% of employees to consider changing jobs to improve their commutes.
“The Impact of Commuting on Employees,” a survey conducted by BusinessWeek Research Services and commissioned by TransitCenter, Inc., found that:
- 48% of employees say their commute is getting worse.
- 24% of respondents say they are late to work at least three times a month because of traffic.
- 31% of people who live in the suburbs or rural areas and travel to jobs in the city are willing to take a different job to improve their commute.
- 46% of employees who live in the city and reverse commute would consider taking a new job for a better commute.
- The increased frustration is building a bigger appetite for commuter-focused relief in the workforce.
When asked what commuter-related benefits would be most attractive in their new jobs, employees cited:
- Flextime (79%)
- Telecommuting (72%)
- Pre-tax commuter benefits (54%)
- Subsidies for pre-tax commuter benefits (47%)
Employer Responses
MyPartTimePRO.com also reported that employers are finding different ways to help employees hold down the cost and aggravation of commuting. Here are some creative examples:
- The Principal Financial Group arranges free bus rides with the local transit authority for its employees.
- The New Belgium Brewing Company in Ft. Collins, CO provides employees with new bicycles on their one-year anniversary as an enticement to ride to work rather than drive.
- At Kent State University in Ohio, 78 of 94 custodial staffers took up the university’s offer to work four 10-hour days instead of five 8-hour days.
- Offering alternative work programs that lessen the cost and struggle of commuting build good will among employees and show your commitment to retaining them.
About MyPartTimePRO.com
MyPartTimePRO.com is the job search Web site that connects educated and accomplished individuals with employers who hire flexible, professional-level staff. They specialize in the following areas:
Engineering, pharmaceutical and insurance giants seeking part-time or telecommuting staff.
Recruiters, law firms and non-profit agencies in need of temporary or project-based employees.
Public relations/marketing, IT and accounting firms in search of freelance or seasonal staff.
Healthcare facilities, educational institutions and consulting practices who hire short-term or job-sharing employees. And many more!