Workplace facilities

[Drooser]

Hi All, first posting.

I'm trying to encourage my employer to offer more facilities at work for cyclists and it would help if I can argue with him about how he compares to other workplaces. How many here have secure lockers for their bikes? (I'm worried about security and someone scratching my precious bike - am I the only one?) Does everyone have shower facilities at their work? - I don't like the "wet wipes" solution that I see everywhere.

My boss has suggested that he could install lockers/bike racks/showers, but he'd charge us for using them - anyone else in this situation?

 

[Tommy2]

Not strictly helpful but I noticed you said "argue" with him, I probably wouldn't "argue" unless you want him to tell you to sod off.

 

[Big Nick]

I've just obtained a key for a storage shed at work to store my bike in while I'm there, it even had a cycle rack in it but as no one has clearly used it for years it had got forgotten about.

I could only dream about showers though!!

 

[rusky]

At my last place of work, there were zero facilities. the only place to lock it up was to the railings at the end of the building.

Where I work now, we are in a shared building & there are covered bike racks & a shower.

How many people cycle where you work & what are the current facilities?

 

[David Parry]

Shower, but no lock-up or shelter.

 

[Dayvo]

There is a shower at work, changing room and safe parking for my bike and there are only four of us, but I work on a golf course so I suppose I'm lucky.

Ask your boss (before maybe telling him/her to eff off) why he should charge you for using the facilities.

Tell him that having healhty and happy staff at work is far more beneficial than just seeing the car park full of cars.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

I have a shower and keep my bike in the warehouse

 

[potsy]

No showers at my last job but there was somewhere indoors to safely store the bike.

Will find out tomorrow if there are any facilities at my new job, though being only 2.5 miles away i only really need a safe spot for it to be.

 

[lip03]

My work has a huge area with cctv coverage, lockers, racks and shower facilities. Very lucky I know is it a small building/company you work for? I used to work in a small family run company and charging for facilities sounds like something they would have done lol

 

[Julia9054]

My school has a covered bike rack in a staff only area. (Plus racks for kids bikes elsewhere)
It has a shower but it is next door to the men's toilets, on a different floor from the ladies. The door goes straight in from the corridor and there is no mirror in there . . . so, basically, it's for blokes. Don't know of any female staff member who uses it.
I make do with wet wipes and I leave a hair dryer on the pegs outside the ladies toilets.

 

[alans]

4 Sheffield stands in an exposed position ( weather & security wise)
2 showers that look as if they were last cleaned when God was a boy & have recently been locked & thus un-available

 

[shouldbeinbed]

no bike lockers, dilapidated bike shed by the back wall that despite CCTV & security has has several thefts and acts of vandalism. 2 showers for a site of upto 400 and only because we have lab facilities that see staff getting a bit grimy - allowed to be used by the few cyclists under sufferance and grudgingly by site management. Clothing lockers are not provided nor any semblance of facility for drying kit other than radiators in public toilets and corridors. All this from an employer with a green / car reduction policy and participating in C2W. Everything the few regular active travellers have has been 'won' by questioning their illogical or just plain knee jerk No attitude. Any storage we have is self provided/rescued scrap and placed (again under sufferance) in quiet corners, dead end stairwells or toilets, where they can't find a logical excuse to turf us out.

Your boss at least sounds willing to compromise even if it does mean you sharing the cost.

 

[Moodyman]

Secure covered bike parking, modern showers with hair dryer, lockers, drying room. We really are spoilt.

But for my employer it's an easy decision - providing a typical car parking spot can cost several hundred pounds. If they can get 15-20 people to get out of their cars, they have saved considerable sums. Then there's also the hidden costs - cyclists are generally healthier than the rest of the workforce - so less sickness and more productivity when they're at work.

 

[Peteaud]

We have the C2W scheme but nowhere to put the bikes apart from the fence outside. No changing room and our lockers are so small my flask does not fit in.

The bosses attitude, if you dont like it, fu*k off.

 

[BlackPanther]

I lock my machine in the lorry shed and I use the boiler cupboard to store/dry bike clothes. As for showers, if you take it steady riding in you should be able to make it without breaking sweat.

Rather than arguing with the boss, point out the numerous studies which show that employees who regularly cycle in are less likely to take sick days, are more productive throughout the working day, and are less likely to be late. Also there's the 'green' side to consider.