Incentivising cycling at work

[Joey Shabadoo]

I've been given the task of encouraging people at my work to cycle instead of using the car to commute. I've come up with the idea of giving people a minute off work for every mile they commute by bike. They all live within 5 miles or so so it would mean they get an afternoon off every month if they cycled every day. What's the best way of monitoring this to make sure people don't drive in, park around the corner and cycle the last half mile? Strava? Is there something easier to use, less intrusive? I'm thinking it might develop into a work Strava group thing where people might be encouraged to cycle more socially.

Any thoughts on the best way to set this up?

 

[biggs682]

Ask them if they want a healthier life?

 

[Tail End Charlie]

Not sure if an afternoon off is the right way to encourage. It may cause divisions and arguments, not to mention the monitoring. Perhaps some sort of reward (I'm thinking sandwich or coffee) would be more useful. People wouldn't buck the system for that, but they might for an afternoon off.
Good task to have though, and kudos to your company for considering it.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Charge £1,000 per year for a parking space

 

[Cathryn]

I listened to an interview recently with Isla Rowntree and she pays people £2 per journey, ie £4/day or £20/week. It didn't address how people might cheat - that's so sad you have to consider that.

 

[sleuthey]

they get an afternoon off every month if they cycled every day.

I would consider the effects on motivation for staff who have a hidden disability and are unable to take part.

 

[Sharky]

Ensure there are sufficient showers, bike storage, drying areas, lockers available.

Work on the management first. If they start cycling, the workers will follow.

Invite "cycle to work" providers to give demonstrations/talks.

Hold specific, well publicised cycle to work days. Say last Friday of each month and provide do-nuts for those taking part.

Some ideas

Good luck

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

I listened to an interview recently with Isla Rowntree and she pays people £2 per journey, ie £4/day or £20/week. It didn't address how people might cheat - that's so sad you have to consider that.

It was the boss who considered the cheating. I was just going to go on trust. We know how far each commute is, if they turn up on a bike I'd consider it done.

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

Ensure there are sufficient showers, bike storage, drying areas, lockers available.

Work on the management first. If they start cycling, the workers will follow.

Invite "cycle to work" providers to give demonstrations/talks.

Hold specific, well publicised cycle to work days. Say last Friday of each month and provide do-nuts for those taking part.

Some ideas

Good luck

Bikes can be stored indoors, we have a shower (there's only 20-odd staff there) and we have a cycle-to-work scheme. I was going to ask our workshop if they'd be able to do minor repairs and servicing on bikes.

 

[MontyVeda]

I had a bit of a spat a few years ago with my employer regarding cycling to work (there's a thread somewhere)... they encourage the C2W scheme as one of the great bonuses employees get... but there's nowhere safe and secure to park bicycles at work. There are the customer racks which have a capacity for 6 bikes, but on a 10 hour shift I don't want my bike locked up at the front of the store for the entire day, plus there were about 6 of us who regularly cycled which would have left little room for customers. I want it out of sight, under shelter, indoors but not in the way. We used a store room that was all of these, but then some regional manager decided we shouldn't but bikes in it... hence the spat.

The incentive for me is somewhere to park it whilst at work

 

[Sharky]

It was the boss who considered the cheating. I was just going to go on trust. We know how far each commute is, if they turn up on a bike I'd consider it done.

Although a regular commuter by bike, some days I " cheated". I used a garage local to my office for my cars annual service. On those days, I would drive to the garage, then cycle to the office. Colleagues would congratulate me on cycling in, but had to confess that I only cycled 3 miles from the garage.

 

[vickster]

Funded discounts at a local bike shop? Or a monthly draw to win an LBS voucher (those with no interest in cycling wouldn’t cheat to enter)

 

[mustang1]

@Joey Shabadoo , why does your employer want people to ride to work in the first place?

 

[All uphill]

Ask them if they want a healthier life?

Great that there is a desire to encourage cycle commuting.

Just discussing this at work will get people thinking about cycling; to me the rewards are health and pleasure, so long as the parking and changing facilities are up to scratch, and any other incentives may lead to feelings of unfairness.

A cold drink on arrival, or a bit of cycle confidence training might be good , but time off seems divisive.

 

[Sittingduck]

In one way I think it's a good idea but monitoring this sounds like an utter nightmare (and possible some could argue an invasion of privacy?) Not saying I don't agree with it just that some folks would make it very difficult to police but I think if you have to virtually bribe people to cycle commute then they are likely not going to stick with it or play by the rules. I don't think there is an easy answer to this but interesting to see suggestions.

Edit to add - the main factors (at least for me) would be proper showers and changing facilities and lockers, plus safe indoor cycle parking etc. More about removing possible off putting blockers, than incentivising. I can see from your response a couple of lines up that these things are in place so maybe if people are made more aware of it or it is promoted as a healthy month in summer it could stick.