Encourage Businesses and Employers

Employers encouraging employees to bicycling to work is one of the best ways to get people back on their bikes. There are a variety of ideas, from building bike parking to offering access to a shower. For more tailored information on how to encourage your employees to ride, contact the League at 202-822-1333 or bikeleague@bikeleague.org.

Encourage Bike Commuting Employees

1. Commuting nightmare
   • It costs $3000 a year to own, operate and maintain a motor vehicle
   • Employees demand higher wages and benefits to compensate for commuting costs
   • Transit can be expensive, unreliable or non-existent

2. Health hazards
   • Exposure to traffic congestion increases heart rate, blood pressure, negative moods
   • Long, arduous commutes to work, air pollution and a sedentary lifestyle are unhealthy
   • Healthy employees are hardworking, on-time employees who take less sick time

3. The bottom line
   • Supporting bike commuting is less expensive than an in-office fitness facility
   • Employers who appreciate workers' personal needs have less employee turnover
   • Healthier employees can reduce health insurance costs; check with your carrier

4. Better employees
   • Employees will see commuting as personal time to relax instead of increasing stress
   • Fit employees are more alert, more productive, perform better and more efficiently
   • Bike commuting can be substituted for the gym, saving employees personal time

5. Bike facilities
   • Showers and private changing rooms are ideal
   • Arrange for shower use at a local health club for your employees
   • Hanging space or a standing wardrobe will provide ample storage for work clothes

6. Parking and storage
   • Indoor, secure bike parking near changing rooms on the ground floor is ideal
   • For bike parking outdoors, use bike lockers or covered bike racks
   • Bike parking should be accessible, visible and secure

7. Route coordination
   • Appoint a bike commuting coordinator to procure local bike route maps
   • Help employees plan routes to work using low-traffic but direct roads and paths
   • Encourage cyclist education among employees; educated riders are safe riders

8. Financial incentives
   • Partner with a local bike shop to offer employee discounts or maintenance clinics
   • Offer subsidies for bike commuters who don't use car parking spaces
   • Provide lunch for bike commuters; offer extra vacation time for daily bike commuters

9. Promote it
   • Form a company bicycle club or race team; increase your own exposure locally
   • Allow bike commuters to dress more casually at work; organize a lunchtime race
   • Ask the local bike shop to showcase new bike models during lunch

10. Outreach
    • Get local news media to cover your events
    • Offer tips on how to start a bike commuting program to other local businesses
    • Encourage employees to help co-workers make the switch to bike commuting