Make 2020 the year for smarter travel choices in your workplace
We’re delighted to launch our new Travel Devon Toolkit to help businesses of all sizes, to make smarter travel choices.
There has never been a better time to implement change in the way we travel for work. Greater awareness of our environment and air quality means that many are looking for a more sustainable travel solution. There is also an increase of awareness around the health and wellbeing benefits of active travel.
Our goal is to help your business to unlock the potential of sustainable and active travel, creating a healthier and happier workplace.
Where should I begin?
If you’re curious about implementing positive change to your workplace travel, we have made it easier than ever to get started in three simple steps.
Step 1
We offer free travel audits to help you evaluate how well your business currently supports sustainable and active travel. We then recommend following the audit with
Step 2
A travel survey to find out exactly how your staff currently travel and what is preventing them from making smarter travel choices. Finally, we help you to develop
Step 3
A travel plan which can be rolled out across your organisation to help implement change.
If your business is based in Exeter, Barnstaple or Newton Abbot, you will also be eligible for one of our in-house presentations for your senior management, HR and/ or facilities team. During this presentation we will be able to guide you through our toolkit and answer any questions you might have about travel planning. Where available, we will also be able to signpost you to any additional support offers for you and your staff.
Do we need to change all of our current workplace travel?
No, you don’t need to overhaul all travel. Even small changes to parts of your workforce’s daily commute can have a large collective impact.
What changes can help your workforce make smarter travel choices will depend on the situation of your organisation and where your staff are traveling in from.
That’s why we recommend following the 3 easy steps mentioned above to get started and enable you to identify quick wins and the changes that will have the biggest impact for your workplace.
How will these changes benefit my business?
We understand that implementing change in workplace travel needs to impact your bottom line as well as the broader benefits of sustainability.
The NHS state that people who exercise regularly have a lower risk of developing many long-term (chronic) physical and mental health conditions:
- up to a 35% lower risk of coronary heart disease and stroke
- up to a 50% lower risk of type 2 diabetes
- up to a 30% lower risk of depression
Poor health – directly attributed to a lack of physical inactivity – is estimated to cost the UK economy 8.2 bn per year due to lack of productivity. Encouraging a more active workforce through workplace travel contributes to better physical and mental health of your employees which means less sickness and higher productivity as well as lowering direct overheads such as mileage costs and parking space costs.
This website is full of all the practical information and toolkits you need to help encourage sustainable and active travel. Whether that’s more of your colleagues cycling to work, including public transport for part of their journey or understanding how better driving practices can impact our environment, there are plenty of resources available.
We would encourage you to take a few moments to browse through this site and if you’re based in Exeter, Barnstaple or Newton Abbot, take advantage of one of our presentations to fully understand how this toolkit and our support can help you create a better workplace through sustainable and active travel.
For more information or any questions, contact us at traveldevon@devon.gov.uk.