The benefits of cycling to work

In the world of COVID-19, one question that employers around the country (and globe) have been trying to answer is: How can my employees safely commute to the office? Employees, particularly those based in major cities, have expressed fear of using public transportation services because they aren’t conducive to social distancing efforts. One option to get around this, if you live close enough to your workplace and are physically able to do so, is to bike to work. There are many benefits of biking to work, from physical health, to finances, to mental health. We’ll cover these benefits and go over ways that employers can support employees who want to ride into the office.

Benefits of biking to work

It helps you stay in shape: Biking to work is a great way to get some cardio in and stay fit without taking time out of your busy schedule to go to the gym — so skip the cycling class and hop on your bike every morning instead!

You’ll avoid crowded public transit services: Public transportation services (like trains, buses, and shuttles), although convenient, can get really crowded during rush hours — especially if you live in a major metropolitan area. In the era of COVID-19 where social distancing is a necessary facet of everyday life, biking to work allows you to avoid putting yourself and others at risk by staying socially distant. And even in a non-pandemic world, it’s still not ideal to get onto a crowded train if you can avoid it.

It’s economical: Getting around isn’t cheap. In New York City, for example, a monthly Metrocard pass is $127. And having a car is even more costly than that, with monthly parking fees, insurance, gas, maintenance, and toll roads. Biking to work is one of the most economical methods of transportation, since your expenses are largely limited to the up-front cost of a bike (or a bike-sharing membership, which is generally very affordable — in NYC, a CitiBike membership is $15/month).

You’ll avoid traffic: Who wants to sit around in bumper-to-bumper traffic every morning to get to work — and then every evening to get home? If you live in a city whose roads are in a constant state of gridlock and you live a bikeable distance from work, biking will not only save you money, but a whole lot of time. Avoid city traffic and get to the office in a fraction of the time.

You’ll feel better: Studies have shown that employees who bike to work feel significantly less stress within the first 45 minutes of work than their driving peers. Generally, exercise is known for its mood-boosting effect and its positive impact on mental health — and outdoor exercise has been shown to be overall better for one’s mental state than indoor exercise. Biking to work is a great way to mentally set yourself up for success for the day.

You won’t have to worry about parking: It’s pretty easy to find a spot to station your bike, and it generally doesn’t cost anything to do so. Some companies will even make it easy for you to store your bike — 44 percent of companies that offer transportation incentives to their employees offer bike storage in the office. In major metropolises, many employers don’t have dedicated parking lots or structures for their employees — parking fees can be exorbitant, and street parking almost non-existent. When you bike to work, you not only avoid the hassle of traffic, but also the hassle of finding a place to park!

You don’t have to buy — you can rent: Don’t want to deal with purchasing your own bike and figuring out where to store it? No problem — bike rental options are abundant in cities across the country, one of the most popular being CitiBike. With numerous CitiBike stations across cities, you can easily find a CitiBike near you, ride it to your destination, and find a drop-off station nearby. (If you are opting for a bike-sharing option, make sure you wash your hands immediately before and after renting a shared bike, and avoid touching your face.)

You can reduce your carbon footprint: As citizens and companies everywhere look to see how they can boost their environmentalist efforts, one way you can go green is by opting to bike to work. Biking to work instead of driving to work even a few times a week can greatly reduce your carbon footprint, since you’re not releasing carbon emissions or smog into the air.

You can stay flexible: Because of the portability of bikes (or alternatively, the abundance of bike-sharing options in major cities), you’re left more mobile than you would be with a car. You can opt to walk part of the way and bike part of the way, or even take public transportation for a portion of your commute and then bike the rest of your route.

How employers can help

Employers can support their employees who want to and are able to bike to work in the following ways:

Offer bike storage: If you have space in your office or office building, dedicate space to bike storage so that your staff members who choose to bike in can store their bikes with ease.

Offer incentives for bikers: Employers may choose to offer rewards programs for biking employees, stipends for employees looking to purchase a bike, or bike-sharing memberships. You may even choose to opt for non-monetary, cultural incentives, like employee cycling get-togethers.

Find a biker-friendly office: If you’re in the search for a new office, aim to find a space with showers and changing facilities. Additionally, make sure the space’s surroundings are generally bike-friendly.

It’s clear that the benefits of biking to work, if you’re able to do so, are diverse and abundant. In biking to work, you can save money, time, and effort while improving your health and reducing your environmental impact.