The Real Cost of the Commute?

Despite there being a lot of enthusiasm of remote working and flexible ‘hot desking’ in the business pages, it is still not commonplace. There are still 81.2% of the working population that regularly commute to a fixed location in the UK. Petrol or train fair costs are constantly on the increase and the cost of a commute to work is something that must be considered when taking any job, a high cost commute can drastically reduce ones disposable income at the end of every moth.On average motorists travel approximately 18.6 miles a day to get to and from work. With the average car costing around 35p per mile to own and run, driving to work costs the UK worker a significant chunk of their salary . While a season ticket from Reading to central London will set you back just shy of £5,000.

However, there are other costs to a commute; the cost on health, time, personal wellbeing, and achieving the elusive work life balance. Often the biggest effects on long commutes to work tend to be stress-related health issues, and the impact upon personal relationships and performance at work. As a result of this there has been a shift in the priorities of job hunters. Now the economy is stronger, companies are increasing their workforce, and employees that are unhappy where they are now have the confidence that they can find something better. They are choosing an agency with local expertise because finding something closer to home is being seen as a key part of the package. People are looking to further their career while not sacrificing other personal priorities.

On average we spend over a year of our lives getting to and from the office, a total of 10,634 hours (443 days). Workers in London endure the longest average commute (74.2 minutes) followed by the South-east and East (56.4 and 56 minutes respectively). Those in Wales (41 minutes) and the South-west (44.8 minutes) enjoy the shortest journeys to work. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the worst possible commute for your personal happiness is a journey of 30 minutes or more on a bus. On a global scale, the effects of commuting are only too plain to see, contributing to air pollution, global warming, urban sprawl and traffic congestion.

Long hours of commuting, especially if you’re driving, are associated with high blood pressure, musculoskeletal disorders, increased anger and resentment at work, absenteeism, lateness, and an inability to concentrate and perform to the same standards as those who live in much closer proximity to the workplace.

#Commute #GardenRoom #GardenOffice #TrafficJam