With Covid-19 cases on the rise again, it’s a good reminder of how ‘back to work’ policies may need to be altered and adapted constantly. In fact, many companies have been trying to find creative ways to adapt to the world around them as it evolves, with attempts of finding some kind of footing while prioritizing their employees in this new normal.
One of the most pressing issues that workers and employers alike have been faced with is what to do about transportation. While many businesses are opting for a hybrid model, not everyone is quite ready for the long and expensive commutes. A solution would be to organize a safer and cheaper transit alternative to protect your staff during the pandemic: enter the employee shuttle. To help you figure out whether implementing a shuttle service for employees is a good option for your company, this article will shed some light on why one would be beneficial.
1. Limit public transportation
Subways and tram systems now carry an unfortunate risk during the ongoing pandemic. Packed commuter cars and crowded public transportation are tough situations to navigate. Instead, it’s safer to travel by private buses and vans where you can implement precautionary measures such as: assigned seating to maintain physical distancing, mask-wearing, and contactless temperature checks. You’ll also be able to control the sanitizing process, keeping your employee’s health a priority. Since employees will be traveling with the same group of people, a shuttle will also help them stick as much as possible within their bubble.
A corporate shuttle service also offers more flexibility. Some headquarters may be difficult to reach solely through public transportation. With a shuttle service, you can personalize your itinerary to make travel as efficient as possible with convenient pick-up points and preferred schedules, making getting to the office less of a hassle for your employees.
2. Fight traffic congestion
Did you know that the amount of traffic congestion in a city is directly linked to that city’s quality of life? In fact, congestion in traffic-heavy cities, such as Toronto and Los Angeles, takes hours out of the average person’s day. As we all try to navigate a post-COVID world, it’s natural to look at how we can improve ongoing issues such as traffic. An employee shuttle means fewer vehicles on the road, which in turn reduces the number of bottlenecks that could occur.
Certain health advantages can also be linked with avoiding driving through daily traffic. Studies have shown that driving in high-density traffic areas can aggravate stress and high blood pressure. Giving employees the option to not worry about driving into the office while they can just sit back, relax, and know that they’ll get to work on time can help alleviate added pressure and anxiety.
3. Facilitate travel between buildings
If your company happens to have a wider campus, or multiple buildings that house different departments, traveling between places may be tedious for employees. Especially if they have to find their own way around. Between moving their parked cars or walking larger distances, significant time is lost. Some companies also have limited parking space, and stand to save a lot of money with an employee shuttle. A part of a company’s growing pains is finding solutions to accommodate their increasing number of employees. Instead of incurring exorbitant costs to buy additional land and expand their parking lot, a shuttle service is an investment that can help keep corporate expenses low in the long run.
4. Become eligible for tax cuts
Offering an employee shuttle as part of their commuting benefits may actually help businesses shave down on their overall expenses. In certain locations, the federal government has been known to offer companies tax breaks for providing transit solutions to their employees — especially if it’s a small business.
5. Increase employee productivity
While remote work has caused us to re-evaluate the realities of the workplace environment, some employees may prefer to keep a separation between their personal and professional lives. One of the ways to uphold those boundaries is to head back into the office, keeping work at work and away from home. For employees who wish to return in-person, offering them a shuttle service could actually lead to an uptick in worker efficiency. Having access to an easy and safe way to get to work may augment overall employee satisfaction, which has been proven to in turn increase productivity levels.
As for people who like to stay connected, employees can get their day started before even reaching the office. With WiFi and power outlets available upon requests, a company shuttle lets your staff organize meetings, follow up on emails, and review any notes or to-do lists — all while comfortably seated in reclinable seats.
6. Attract new recruits and boost employee brand
Attracting top talent is difficult. Most hiring managers will agree with that. However, workplace perks can definitely have a direct impact on how successful your recruiting campaign ends up being. In our current times, offering a service such as a private employee shuttle is sending a great message to prospective applicants. Not only does it show that you’re taking COVID-19 precautions seriously, but it also shows that you care about your team’s convenience and comfort.
Commuting is a huge part of an employee’s routine. What their daily commute will look like is often one of the determining criteria that’ll affect their decision to join a company. If you can take that off their hands by offering a transport solution that doesn’t have to come out of their own personal budget, you’re bound to win over some new recruits. Set up a shuttle route between locations with regular loops to make it more convenient for your staff to get to where they need to be.
7. Help the environment
With limited use of public transit due to health safety concerns, its most viable and ecological alternative is to travel by employee shuttle. The latter remains an effective way to continue to care for Mother Earth during the pandemic.
Companies can reduce their carbon footprint by having employees travel in one convenient vehicle rather than independently driving in with their own cars. By trimming down on the number of individual cars that your employees are taking into work, you’re helping to cut back on toxic greenhouse emissions. As a matter of fact, charter bus transportation produces significantly less CO2 compared to all other forms of group travel.
8. Create opportunities for team building
If not working directly together on a project, people from different teams within a company may have limited occasions to meet their colleagues. Setting up a shuttle service creates new opportunities for networking and building ties between employees, so that they can also get to know each other on a more personal level. There’s nothing like a bit of informal chit chat to bring people together. Perhaps some new business ideas will sprout from those conversations too!
While an employee shuttle may not be the way that you were envisioning to move your business forward, implementing such a service is sure to have a resounding positive impact on the areas that truly matter — your employee’s well-being, the environment, and your bottom line.
