Yet another reason to telecommute
Wednesday, August 6th, 2008Wow, these days the news is full of compelling reasons for businesses and governments to implement telecommuting programs. Today, I found two more.
In today’s Chicago Tribune, the headline reads “Traffic Cost: $1580 per driver.” Turns out, that’s the amount the average commuter wastes every year sitting in traffic jams. In Chicago, that is.
That’s a whopping $7.3 billion according to a study by the Metropolitan Planning Council. “Wasted fuel, lost time in traffic and environmental effects are dragging down the regional economy and crimping lifestyles.”
It’s getting harder and taking longer to get to work which causes employees to be late and to miss out on more quality time at home. That affects productivity, employee satisfaction and a company’s bottom line.
Did anyone think that rising energy prices would impact employee retention? Well it appears it will. According to a recent study, “The Impact of Commuting on Employees“, 65% of employees expect employers to do something to “ease their commuting difficulties.” And, 26% of employees are considering changing jobs to improve their commutes.
48% of employees say their commute is getting worse. And, their experience is backed up by the Metropolitan Planning Council report. By 2030, the cost of commuting is expected to rise to $11.3 billion by 2030.
Yikes! How much more evidence do we need?