Barely a month into the new year, and we've already seen some significant increases in the price of rail fare. In fact, within the first two weeks of the month, we got the highest rail fare price increase since 2013. Some figures are beginning to estimate that we'll soon be spending up to 14% of our annual salary on commuting alone.
As concerns continue to rise around the costs of commuting, the modern worker needs to take matters into their own hands. The best way to do this is to encourage the workforce to embrace more technology for the digital workforce. Pressure from millennial employees has already prompted significant strides in the way we look at flexible working. The next step is in making sure each brand has the right resources to make homeworking as effective as possible.
James Campanini, the General Manager of International sales for BlueJeans, gave me his thoughts on how commuting issues are contributing to the future of work.
How Do You Think Travel Costs Are Changing the Way We Work?
Telecommuting has become a workplace phenomenon in recent years, and it's easy to see why. A remote working strategy can reduce employee turnover by as much as 50%, and statistics into flexible employment show that 82% of telecommuters report lower levels of stress. Now that it's becoming increasingly more expensive to get to the office, communication experts like BlueJeans think it's time for brands to begin changing the way they empower their employees.
"75% of the workforce are saying they'd like some opportunity to work from home, and that number is only going to get bigger as prices for travel go up. Commuting is never a predictable experience. Regardless of how much the trains charge, there's always a chance that a delay on the line could stop you from getting to work on time."
"The good news is that there is technology out there now that means people can still be productive, wherever they are. You can have a fully interactive video call while someone's removing a tree from the railway line."
James noted that eventually, we'll reach a point where you're going to lose more money going to work than you earn.
"However, there's also the fact that travel is unpredictable. Access to the right technology means that you can continue to contribute, regardless of what happens, or where you are."
How Can Businesses Recognise the Rising Costs of Travel in Their DX Strategy?
Interestingly, James told me that he doesn't believe that companies will ever be able to eliminate face-to-face interactions from the business environment.
"It's not about shutting down the office completely but thinking realistically about how much office space you need. You can have an office in the centre of London as your company "hub" for instance, and then give people the freedom to work outside of that space too."
As powerful as communication and collaboration solutions have become, there's still something to be said for the face-to-face interactions that colleagues have. The difference now is that you don't necessarily need to see employees every day.
"I think technology has addressed the problem of the expensive and unpredictable commute. You don't need to have employees in the office every day if they're a digital worker. They should be able to work from home at least a portion of the time, while the option to come to the office is available too."
What is the Impact of Travel Costs on Retention Rates?
It's no surprise that the rising costs of travel are making it harder for businesses to convince their employees to actually come into the office - particularly when there's a demand to travel during peak hours. James told me that although there are costs to consider when it comes to providing flexible workers with the technology they need, there are more costs to avoiding the remote revolution.
