UK commuters waste 4.6 million hours a
day
Research launched as part of National
Commute Smart Week finds ‘smart commuting’ could dramatically reduce travel to
and from work
62 percent of commuters want to reduce
time spent travelling to and from work; being stuck in traffic, travelling in
the dark and wasting time are big frustrations. 46 percent say bosses won’t
allow them to ‘commute smart’ to reduce their travel time
The survey of
2,000 adults finds 62 percent of commuters want to reduce the time they spend
travelling to and from work, with the biggest frustrations being stuck in
traffic (42%), issues with public transport (38 percent), travelling in the
dark (36 percent) and cost (30 percent).
The report,
available to download from http://www.workshifting.com/downloads/, reveals
how British workers believe they could significantly reduce the astonishing 26
million hours a day they spend travelling to and from work, by adopting a
smarter approach to commuting. The most popular solutions include home working
(34 percent), varying start and finish times (22 percent) and using technology
to enable flexible and remote working (32 percent).
However, workers
are facing barriers to adopting smarter commuting, with 46 percent saying
bosses won’t allow them to work from home or work flexible hours. This is
despite almost one in four commuters voicing concerns about the amount of time
they waste that could be used more productively.
The report also
suggests that smart commuting could have a positive impact on the British
workforce, helping them to become fitter, healthier and more relaxed. Over a
third (35 percent) of commuters said they would spend more time with family; 31
percent would take more exercise; 22 percent would make healthier meals; and 21
percent would take up a new hobby or join an evening class. A cheeky 16 percent
even revealed they would make the most of the extra time by spicing up their
love life.
Graham Jones,
Internet Psychologist, said: “Bosses who insist that people all go to work at
the same time and stick to a set routine are actually weakening their business.”
13 November 2009
