How Commute Times Affect Hiring and Retention
Posted September 5th, 2016
There are many different factors that go into making successful hires and retaining those people. But one factor that is often overlooked yet has a big impact on hiring and retention is the time it takes to get to work.
It’s not something you would expect, but data shows that a long commute time to work can really hurt retention rates. And people with short commute times tend to stay at their jobs longer, about 20 percent longer.
It may not be readily apparent, but long commute times have been shown to affect many business functions and productivity:
1. Longer commute times lead to increased absenteeism.
2. Longer commutes lead to more tardiness.
3. Higher turnover rates result from longer drives to work.
4. Long drives to work affect employee engagement.
5. Longer commute times lead to more errors at work because people are fatigued after the long drive in, and they are distracted at the end of the day anticipating the long drive home.
6. Longer drives to work increase stress levels, which in turn can affect productivity.
7. Longer time in the car means more time sitting, which is not good for people’s health.
And commute times can also influence recruiting:
1. If employees are complaining about commute times on social media and other sites, it may affect the number of applicants the company receives.
2. More job candidates may decline job offers if they see that the company is not making any efforts to do something about commute times. ‘
For all of these reasons, it is a good idea for companies to take commute time into account when going through the hiring process. It may even be necessary to make a short commute time one of the requirements for the job.
To retain employees with longer commutes, companies need to have flexible work options available. These include things like four-day work weeks, flexible starting times for work (to avoid rush hour traffic), helping to pay for public transportation, and working remotely.
Commute times currently receive little attention in the workplace, perceived only as a minor distraction. But the data shows this is far from the truth because of all of the negative impacts it can have and money it can cost a company. It is well worthwhile for companies to begin paying more attention to drive time.
If you are looking for a job to drive to, Bayside Solutions can help you. We are a leading technology-related staffing agency. So, if you work in biotechnology, information technology, or a similar field, give Bayside Solutions a call. We are here to help you.
