Monday, June 15, 2015

Driving Us Crazy: How Long Commutes Decrease Employee Productivity


Many factors drive workers’ productivity.  Recent research from the U.K.’s Office of National Statistics found that people with a commute of 45 minutes or longer reported feeling less satisfaction in their lives and higher rates of anxiety.  They also rated their daily activities as less worthwhile than those who travel shorter distances to work.   The average worker spends five weeks per year commuting, which demonstrates that our daily commutes impact our everyday lives both in and outside of the workplace.  


The mode of travel utilized for commuting to work has a significant impact on how employees felt about their commutes.  Individuals who took the bus to work reported much lower levels of satisfaction with their lives than their non-commuting peers.  Those who took a train reported higher levels of anxiety.  Additionally, studies have shown that employees with long commutes cut healthful activities out of their lives, allowing exercise, sleep, and preparing fresh food to fall by the wayside.

Higher levels of stress can likewise increase individuals’ dissatisfaction with their jobs, which can lead to greater staff turnover.  As employees work with unhappy coworkers, they may internalize these feelings and choose to leave the company themselves.  A vicious cycle begins with decreased productivity among employees as staff turnover lowers the amount of productivity even further.

Should companies offer other options for employees with a long commute?
Can workers overcome the negative impact of long commutes through their own stress-relief practices?
What do you do personally to improve the experience of commuting?