As a country, we recognize the importance of in-person connection when it comes to workplaces, education, and our daily lives. After two years of intermittent isolation, countless videoconferences, and finding creative ways to hold it all down at home with your children, many employees are eager to return to their offices and adjust to “living with COVID-19” in the safest way possible.
Employers have been preparing in many provinces across Canada, and some are already transitioning to in-office working environments again. We have learned to adapt at a moment’s notice in the last 24 months, and while we have been given the green light by the provinces who have lifted their work from home order, many employers are faced with big questions, such as: who is ready to come back? What will the adjustment to back in office life be like? And finally – perhaps most importantly – how will we safely get them back to the office?
Offices may be re-opening for in-person work, but that doesn’t mean everyone feels comfortable diving back into their pre-COVID commute. The solution? Demand-based shuttle services. Providing an employee shuttle is a promising and widely accepted solution that benefits both employees and employers alike. Let’s talk about why:
Fuel Prices
With rising gas prices across the country, people are hesitant to turn the ignition and commute to the office 5-days a week. Canada, specifically, is more geographically spread out than many metropolitan areas globally. So even people who live within the city limits still often have a lengthy commute to work.
The daily commute cost is higher than ever, and employees – both current and prospective – are using this metric as a serious factor when it comes to choosing an employer and their willingness to return to the office. Offering an employee shuttle will remove this cost for your employees and do wonders in terms of retention and new candidate attraction.
Sustainability
There will be employees who are reluctant to use conventional public transit due to health and safety concerns, or simply don’t have convenient access in their neighbourhood. This will result in an increased number of single-passenger vehicles on the road causing significant environmental and economic consequences. It will increase traffic congestion in communities, pack parking lots, and skyrocket harmful emissions.
With environmental awareness top of mind, more and more people are considering how we as individuals can make a positive impact. We are taking a critical look at how our environmental values align with the organizations we work for. These considerations are influencing organizations to assess how their operation’s environmental footprint stacks up – evidenced by the implementation of corporate Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) programs.
Working in partnership with their people, companies can achieve their goals to reduce their carbon footprint by offering convenient demand-based shuttles for their workforce. Now, not only will you be one step closer to achieving your ESG goals, but you will also be contributing to the vital work that needs to be done for the sustainability of our planet.
Bridging the Gap
Some people went home in 2020 thinking they’d be remote for a few months, which has turned into two years. For them, the thought of going back to the office full-time has the potential to cause anxiety and apprehension.
Many employers are offering a hybrid remote-in-office option for those transitioning back to the office, and an on-demand shuttle can help bridge this gap. A demand-responsive service’s flexibility and unique application will work effectively for your employees’ individual and fluctuating schedules.
Summary
Providing an employee shuttle is a promising and widely accepted solution that benefits both employees and employers alike. It’s also not new, pre-pandemic organizations worldwide were already using technology to shuttle their essential employees to work, but there was a significant surge in its application in transporting healthcare and essential workers over the last two years.
For Employers
Demand-based shuttles offer a safe, sustainable, and convenient way to bring people – your most valuable asset as a company – back to the office. Companies can develop a customizable system that gives them control over their return-to-workplace strategy. Employees will spend less time commuting and more time being productive. These systems aren’t limited to healthcare, downtown offices or business parks. We have successfully implemented a demand-based employee shuttle system in the oil, gas, and energy sectors – the first of its kind in Canada.
For Employees
Reliable, safe, and easy. Your employees are in control, they make their trip requests through a mobile app selecting convenient pickup points and times. There is also an employee retention benefit to be realized here, and it’s a perk for employees not to have to drive their vehicles to work every day. Between wear and tear, maintenance costs, and the rising cost of gas prices, the option for a private shuttle system is a major aspect of employee satisfaction, talent attraction, and retention.
On demand transportation grows in interest, awareness, and real-world applications across Canada. It’s not just employers considering it; many communities, transit agencies, and other entities are evaluating on-demand as a viable transportation option. Not only is supplying a demand-based employee shuttle service practical, but it’s also easy – for many, it comes down to deciding to operate on-demand in-house or engaging a contracted operator.
