Get your workplace in gear to support cycling

In our last blog we shared three easy steps to start making some small changes within your workplace to support your staff to travel more actively and reap the benefits that active travel brings, both now and in the future.

In this blog we will be diving a little bit deeper into why encouraging your staff to cycle (more) is a good idea.

The cost of inactivity & benefits of active travel

In our toolkit, ‘The business case for encouraging cycling’, we highlighted the cost to the UK economy, businesses and individuals of not being active enough.

Low levels of physical activity are leading to poor health and wellbeing, costing UK businesses due to cardiovascular disease (CVD), sickness absence and presenteeism each year.

As we pointed out in our first blog, active travel can bring great benefits to your organisation and help to:

  • Reduce your travel related carbon emissions
  • Improve productivity
  • Create a happier and healthier workforce

It has been found that cycling in particular can have a great positive impact on your staff’s health and wellbeing. A five-year study compared people who had an active commute with those who travelled sitting down (e.g., in a car). The researchers found that commuting by cycling was associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality and adverse CVD and cancer outcomes. They also found that even people who only cycle part of their journey to work, such as those who cycle from a rail station or from a Park & Change, still received health benefits compared to those who didn’t cycle at all.

How to start supporting your staff to cycle more

In our last blog we set out three simple steps for you to get started on your workplace travel plan. But if you would like to start making some changes sooner, we have got some great resources for you to guide you:

  • Our ‘Making business cycle friendly’ toolkit contains guidance on how your organisation can become a workplace that encourages and supports cycling to work and covers strategy and governance, facilities, schemes and incentives and information, promotion and events. We also have toolkits on cycle parking and pool bikes.
  • The Promoting cycling toolkit provides you with plenty of ideas for events and activities to help you promote cycling and encourage people to take up cycling in your organisation. The following resources can also help you spread the word at your workplace and help encourage people to give cycling a go:
  • Looking for ways to boost your staff’s cycling confidence and motivation?
    • Take advantage of our free adult cycle confidence sessions. These sessions can also be offered in a small group format, which might make your staff feel more comfortable about taking the training. Get in touch with us at traveldevon@devon.gov.uk and we can explore how we can help your workplace.
    • If you would like to provide your staff or colleagues with the opportunity to take part in regular cycle challenges to grow cycling at your workplace, you can sign up on the Love to Ride Devon website and create a workplace team. In Devon alone, over 400 organisations have signed up already.

Further support and information

We hope we have inspired you to start making some small changes to help your staff to give cycling a go. The Travel Devon Toolkit is full of other practical information and toolkits to help encourage sustainable and active travel. So have a browse!

With any questions, please get in touch with us at traveldevon@devon.gov.uk.

For general information on how to get around in Devon, please visit our Travel Devon website.

COVID-19

Visit the Devon County Council website for coronavirus advice in Devon. Please also refer to the government guidance for safer travel.