18 March 2016
Getting involved in a challenge like Cycle to Work Day is a great way to motivate staff
Do you want to encourage more people to walk, cycle and use public transport at your organisation? Would you like to cut car commutes and re-think business travel? Try some of these ideas for starting a culture change at your workplace.
- Book a local bike mechanic to come in to check staff bikes and teach them some maintenance basics.
- Give travel directions to your office in the healthiest order, to encourage new staff and visitors to travel more actively. Start with walking and cycling, then public transport then car travel. Make sure you include car-share options.
- Ask your local authority whether it offers grants for cycle parking. If it does, replace some car parking spaces with cycle parking spaces – you can fit 10 bikes in one car parking space.
- Let staff know about the benefits of active travel with posters in the workplace, articles in your organisation’s newsletter/e-news and messages on payslips.
- Make it clear in the company expenses policy that the organisation supports walking, cycling and public transport use. If an organisation doesn’t promote alternatives and just lists car mileage allowance in the expenses policy then staff will tend to drive without considering the alternatives.
- Keep communal supplies of emergency extras like bike lights and waterproofs at reception.