It’s National Bike to Work Week, and according to the League of American Bicyclists, there are many reasons why employers should encourage workers to commute by bicycle. For example:

• It costs employees less money to operate a bike than a car
• Bikes are more reliable than transit
• Biking to work can reduce employees’ stress
• Biking to work is a healthy activity
• Healthy employees are more productive employees
• Healthy employees are more alert employees
• Healthy employees take less sick time
• Healthy employees can reduce your health insurance costs

If you want to encourage bicycle commuting among your workers, there are a few things employers can do:

• Provide showers and changing rooms for cycling commuters
• If that’s not possible, arrange with a local health club for your workers to use their shower and changing room facilities
• Allow cycling commuters to dress more casually at work
• Provide indoor, secure storage space for bike parking (ideally, on the ground floor)
• If that’s not possible, provide bike lockers or covered bike racks outdoors
• Appoint someone to coordinate local bike route maps
• Bring in a trainer to provide cycling education for employees
• Team up with a local bike retailer to offer your workers discounts on bicycle purchases or bike maintenance clinics
• Form a company bike club or race team

For more information about Bike-to-Work week, visit the League of American Bicyclists.

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