Research in the US reveals the mental health benefits of cycling to work
Posted on in Business News , Cycles News
A survey of 1,038 work commuters (363 urban bike commuters and 675 non-biking commuters) in the US conducted by ebike.org has explored if there’s a difference in the mindsets and productivity levels of employees who cycle to work versus those who use alternate modes of transportation.
The findings showed surprising advantages since bike commuters started cycling to work:
- 70% more energy throughout the day
- 51% report less stress during the workday.
- 42% have a boost in job satisfaction.
- 40% cite a rise in their drive to innovate.
- 30% say they were less likely to resign in the next six months.
- 27% experience increase in overall productivity.
- $2,500 annual savings (an average of $48 per week) by not driving to work.
- $15,000 higher annual salaries than commuters using other transportation modes.
“Getting your heart pumping and feeling the wind on your face each morning seems to set a very different tone for the day than sitting in stinky exhaust fumes,” according to the research team. Perhaps the positive set tone explains the other benefits such as beefed-up job satisfaction, increased job productivity and that biking gave seven in ten respondents energy boosts throughout the workday. These positive benefits combined also may explain the bump of $15,000 added annual income, according to the research team.
The average bike commuter in the study cycled four miles to work but admit they would be willing to commute an additional three miles. A total of two in three bike commuters say biking to work made them feel more connected to their city, and 54% were motivated by reducing their carbon footprint by biking. Nearly one in five bike commuters even factored distance into their job hunt and considered the inability to bike to work a deal breaker. Millennials proved 18% more likely than Gen Z to cite carbon footprint reduction as one of their primary motivations for bike commuting.
With all these advantages, the research team concluded that employers, struggling to retain talent amid “the big quit” and return to office mandates might want to encourage employees to adopt this energizing and motivating method of commuting. They suggest that employers can offer bike-related benefits to employees, like flex schedules to accommodate longer commute times, secure bike storage or shower facilities. But other than the mental health and financial benefits, what other reason would a non-bike commuter jump on the cycling bandwagon? The research team told me by email that 48% say a job closer to where they live would entice them to bike to work. And nearly one-third of non-bike commuters cite improved infrastructure in their city as motivation. Many also say that employer reimbursement for bike-related expenses (17%) and safe bicycle storage at work (14%) would be key factors.