How To Make Your Office More Bike Friendly

Sustainability at the office can be greatly improved when your business addresses transportation. With the many pounds of carbon dioxide emitted for each gallon of gas, businesses can effectively reduce their contribution to the environment via car commuting pollution by encouraging cleaner modes of transportation to work, including biking.

Some businesses challenging car-centric commutes by re-envisioning their campuses for bikes. For example, AlphaBeta made bikes a priority when they repurposed their building; the business added a big yellow ramp for bicyclists to ride down from the street level into an elaborate bicycleplex.

But not all buildings and businesses can build a bike ramp and bike complex on its campus, but there are many ways even the smallest offices can encourage their employees to bike to work. Some key ideas include:

1. Create convenient storage locations: People are less likely to bike if they feel like there’s no place to put them, especially if the only secure place is their office on the 10th floor. Providing secure bike racks located close to the office’s entrance, or an indoor room for parking or storage is a great way to show that your company is serious about respecting bikers in the workplace.

2. Provide incentives for biking. Many health insurance plans give people an incentive when they regularly exercise. Check to make sure that your plan includes similar incentives for those who bike or walk to work, versus driving. Other incentives, such as subsidizing the cost of a bike, or paying for repairs can make your employees more inclined to bike to work.

3. Host bike safety seminars. Many people are afraid to bike on the road, especially in urban areas congested with cars. You can help your employees feel more confident to bike to and from work when you set up engaging seminars on road safety. Another great way to boost biking confidence: have your group bike together from work to a particular stop or gathering point. Doing this routinely (once a month, or even more), will make bikers feel safer coming to and from work. If workers live in the same neighborhoods, encourage them to pick each other up as they arrive to work, making bike commuting safer and fun.

4. Be flexible with start times. Most bikers will take a longer time to get into work, so give them some flexibility when it comes to arriving on time. In addition, consider giving commuters some freedom to leave early or work at home, especially during winter when the days are shorter, when bikers may be less visible. The same goes with those using public transportation: be knowledgeable of the timetables, and be flexible when workers have to adjust to a schedule that can’t control.

By making your office more bike-friendly, your office can greatly reduce its carbon emissions, and make a more positive impact on the environment. For more sustainable office tips, read our blog.