Giving your team a mobility allowance or travel perks for electric scooters and e-bikes encourages car-free commuting. But when winter comes around, your team’s commuting habits can soon revert to their old ways.

As an employer, it’s up to you to make it easy for employees to continue any sustainable travel habits they picked up during the summer and keep them safe and motivated.

Prepare your team for winter commutes

Since the pandemic and the growth of hybrid working, many companies have faced challenges getting employees back to the office.

One way around this is offering travel a llowances to employees as a perk — so they can travel on shared scooters or e-bikes and charge the rides to the company. But while it’s a proven way to boost employee retention, it’s simpler during the summer than winter.

Those who cycled to work or rode an electric scooter are likely to have a different level of enthusiasm during the winter. And depending on the weather conditions and your area’s cycling infrastructure, employees may need alternative options.

But that doesn’t mean getting behind the wheel of a car is any safer.

24% of weather-related car accidents happen on roads covered by snow, slush, or ice. Add in the extra hours of darkness and time needed to defrost the car, and many winter commuters will be suitably stressed when they get to the office.

As well as being a safety concern, driving during the winter’s more expensive as cold weather can increase fuel consumption by 35%. If your team expenses fuel usage or holds company fuel cards, this can increase your costs.

Leave the driving to those with more experience

Instead of driving to work, you can support your team by offering perks that let them travel by public transport, ride-hailing, or a combination of the two.

Public transport

Rather than expecting employees to navigate icy roads in their own vehicles, giving them a public transport travel allowance is safer. Plus, it’ll save them time usually spent defrosting their car.

Ride-hailing

With Bolt Business, your team can get picked up by one of our 3 million drivers, who’ll get them safely to their destination. This reduces the number of cars parked outside your workplace and the need to offer as much parking.

Mixed modality

Taking the train or bus is a safe and often affordable way to travel. But depending on the conditions, delays can happen. This is why a sustainable travel policy which offers an allowance to spend on a range of mobility options will give your employees the flexibility they need at this time of year.

Encourage carpools when the above isn’t possible

Carpools and lift-sharing aren’t car-free commutes but are a step in the right direction. By carpooling with even one other person, you’re removing a car from the road, which is good news in terms of pollution and congestion.

Active travel

Exercise is one of the best ways to keep motivated during the winter. And the commute is the perfect time to be active. Whether it’s cycling or walking — either to and from the office or between public transport stops — your team can get that extra motivation for the day ahead.

While cycling during the winter isn’t appealing to many, it’s possible — as countries such as Finland show. For anyone who cycles to work during the winter, it’s essential to take the proper safety measures by wearing reflective clothing and getting the widest tyres possible.

Bolt electric scooters and e-bikes

Bolt scooters and e-bikes remain on the streets for use until weather conditions get too severe. When conditions still allow for scooter and bike use, you should remind your employees of some essential riding safety tips:

Wear a helmet;
Travel at lower speeds;
Brake early;
Keep a safe distance from other road users;
Wear weather-appropriate clothing and reflectors.

When scooters and bikes aren’t available, we recommend alternative forms of travel that still reduce car use, such as public transport, walking, ride-hailing, and carpools.

Make use of technology

Business travel apps can be a saviour for your team during the winter.

If members of your team want to keep up active commuting habits, but conditions get too challenging, they can open the Bolt app and get a ride in minutes. Likewise, sudden snowfall can catch even the most prepared commuters off-guard, giving them little time to put winter tyres on their vehicles.

Signing your company up with Bolt Business gives your employees a travel allowance to use in their Bolt app.

So, whether their car breaks down, bad weather prevents an active commute, or they simply want to remain car-free, they always have a simple way to get to the office. And they can charge rides to the company without having to fill out expense reports.

Get in touch today to learn how Bolt Business can help your team this winter.

Affordable work rides, without the paperwork