People more likely to cycle to work if workplace closer: survey

A survey has found people would be more likely to cycle to work if they had a workplace closer to home, and cyclists say employers should do more to encourage them.

A survey by International Workplace Group found Australians who cycled to the office/workplace believed it had positive impacts on their physical, mental and financial wellbeing.

Bike riders would be more likely to cycle to work if they had a workplace closer to home, and half believe their employers should do more to encourage them to ride to the office, according to new research.

A survey by International Workplace Group (IWG) – the world’s largest provider of hybrid working solutions with brands including Spaces and Regus Group – found Australians who cycled to the office/workplace believed it had positive impacts on their physical, mental and financial wellbeing.

IWG country head for Australia Damien Sheehan said the survey of 1001 Australian bike riders found that 40 per cent were currently using cycling to commute to their workplace. He said that figure would rise, with 72 per cent of them saying they would be more likely to ride to the workplace if it was closer to their home, underpinning the potential growth of hybrid working practices where people divide their time between home, a city HQ and a local co-working space.

IWG has 60 co-working spaces in Australia, of which half were not in CBDs, in line with the company’s focus on so-called “15-minute cities” where everything a person needed in life was a 15-minute walk or cycle away from where they lived.

“This way of life helps employees live more localised and enriched lives with more time spent with friends and family and less time commuting” Mr Sheehan said. “Businesses that are able to offer flexible and hybrid work policies are able to unlock numerous lifestyle and wellbeing benefits for their employees, which are critical for attracting and retaining talent.”

Good end-of-trip facilities encourage cyclists to ride into work.

In the survey ahead of National Ride to Work day on October 16, 55 per cent of respondents said they were likely to ride a bike to work if they were offered an incentive, and 50 per cent of those surveyed who cycled to work already agreed that their employer/business should do more to encourage them.

Mr Sheehan said the survey found there was a need for more and safer bikeways but just as importantly cyclists wanted incentives to encourage then to cycle into work.

“If employers don’t have those end-of-trip facilities or broader infrastructure whether that be bike storage or showers and change room facilities, they should look at that,” he said.

“Employees were also more likely to ride to work if employers offered incentives, and those incentives could be subsidies for purchasing a bike, financial support for cycling gear, bike maintenance program and the list goes on.”

Brisbane-based Stephen Hanley, who mostly works remotely for a software company, said a big attraction for him cycling into work was the end-of-trip facilities at Mirvac’s Heritage Lanes office tower in the CBD.

“They are very VIP and probably the best in Brisbane,” he said.

“End-of-trip facilities are certainly a big thing in encouraging people to ride into work and something like Heritage Lanes removes an obstacle that might stop people from cycling in.”

Cycling enthusiast Stephen Hanley.

Mr Hanley said he started cycling after a traumatic back injury laid him low for three months in 2019.

“I got it in large part due to a lack of fitness, being overweight and stressed,” he said.

“I now know it’s important for people to take time out to exercise 30 minutes every day.

“I know people say they don’t have time to exercise, but if getting that exercise is part of that daily routine you are getting the benefit of it.”

According to previous IWG research, 80 per cent of employees reported a significant improvement in their overall wellbeing due to the greater flexibility offered by hybrid working.

A further, 68 per cent said their physical health has improved due to hybrid work, with benefits including being able to do more physical exercise (54 per cent) and taking time for healthier meal preparation (58 per cent).

Of those who don’t cycle to work, the majority (71 per cent) were using a car as their primary mode of transportation.

Originally published as People more likely to cycle to work if workplace closer: survey