Who's Kidding Who?
I was driving home last night musing about transport, wishing that I had the time to be able to commute to work on my bike, or maybe bike-and-train if carrying cycles wasn't banned at peak times, and wondering what's going to happen to commuters like me when the cost of motoring gets to the point that we can't afford it any more on our non-inflation-proof mini-salaries.
I've already written to my line manager (at his request) with my suggestions of "intangible incentives" that could be offered to key employees who are in danger of leaving once this year's rounds of appraisals and pay increases is complete. One of my suggestons was that, for those people who are able to, the company might want to be flexible and allow them to work at home for up to two days per week, therefore saving the time in the morning and evening and the transport costs of 40p/mile to get to the office and back. For my round trip of just over fifty miles, that would be a considerable saving! I included links to studies on productivity and stress-reduction when such schemes have been run in places like Leeds County Council. Wonder what they'll think of that one?
I then mused about how nice the roads would be if they were empty of the motorised traffic that I was driving through. They'd be quiet and clean and safe for joggers and cyclists and horses. But what would I do about work? I'd have to move to a vastly populated area instead of the quiet(ish) area I'm lucky enough to live in, unless I could get another job locally, or the company started to have satellite offices that people could use when they have to be directly connected to the company's network..... BOINGGGG!!!! There's the answer - for me anyway. The company already has one, up North somewhere.
I'll keep trying to get a job that enables me to ditch the car, but I have to keep things in perspective. Companies and society as a whole will need to learn to cope with fuel shortages and fuel rationing when it starts - and hopefully I will be ready with suggestions on how I, as an employee, can roll with the punches and still get my work done without beggaring myself.
I wonder how people will cope who are unbending and unwilling to change. I wonder how a Porche or BMW driver would ride a bicycle considering their trademark behaviour??!!
I've already written to my line manager (at his request) with my suggestions of "intangible incentives" that could be offered to key employees who are in danger of leaving once this year's rounds of appraisals and pay increases is complete. One of my suggestons was that, for those people who are able to, the company might want to be flexible and allow them to work at home for up to two days per week, therefore saving the time in the morning and evening and the transport costs of 40p/mile to get to the office and back. For my round trip of just over fifty miles, that would be a considerable saving! I included links to studies on productivity and stress-reduction when such schemes have been run in places like Leeds County Council. Wonder what they'll think of that one?
I then mused about how nice the roads would be if they were empty of the motorised traffic that I was driving through. They'd be quiet and clean and safe for joggers and cyclists and horses. But what would I do about work? I'd have to move to a vastly populated area instead of the quiet(ish) area I'm lucky enough to live in, unless I could get another job locally, or the company started to have satellite offices that people could use when they have to be directly connected to the company's network..... BOINGGGG!!!! There's the answer - for me anyway. The company already has one, up North somewhere.
I'll keep trying to get a job that enables me to ditch the car, but I have to keep things in perspective. Companies and society as a whole will need to learn to cope with fuel shortages and fuel rationing when it starts - and hopefully I will be ready with suggestions on how I, as an employee, can roll with the punches and still get my work done without beggaring myself.
I wonder how people will cope who are unbending and unwilling to change. I wonder how a Porche or BMW driver would ride a bicycle considering their trademark behaviour??!!
posted by Catherine at 18:01
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