Businesses must explore efficient alternatives

Dubai: UAE employers should find ways to effectively reduce commuting times and tackle the damaging effects of it on workers' health and morale, if they want their businesses to flourish.

Industry experts said that practical workplace practices such as remote working, car sharing, implementing flexible hours and improving work relationships can help minimise the damaging effects of commuting.

"Whatever reduces the stress of commuting, the waking up early to get in the car and battling with traffic on little more than a cup of coffee every day, should be seriously considered by businesses wishing to retain loyal workers," Mark Dixon of Regus told Gulf News.

Hazel Cowling of biz-ability, said it would be beneficial for employers if they give people time to settle when they reach the office after a long and stressful drive.

"One great mechanism to achieve this in a productive way that we use at biz-ability is the daily huddle. This involves getting the team together for a five to ten-minute huddle when everyone arrives and before people get stuck into work to raise the mood by sharing good news and what people are focused on for the day," said Cowling.

Daily tracking

"If your organisation has a way of tracking results daily, this also helps focus the team on what has been achieved and what needs to be achieved. The huddle has proven helpful, therefore, in connecting people daily and in giving a positive and energising start to the day while at the same time giving the space to those who need those few minutes to settle after a long and stressful drive," she suggested.

"Another practical solution could be to examine start and finish times to see if those who battle with heavy traffic during rush hour could perhaps start and finish at different times without impacting the business," she said.

Cowling said car sharing during long-distance trips is also a good option in the sense that time appears to pass much quicker when people are in the company of others. "This may also improve work relationships," she said.

Steve Gregory of Holborn Assets said introducing flexible hours and eliminating double-shift requirements offer the best solution.

"If someone commutes and gets three hours rest in the afternoon, what are they supposed to do with that time? Sleep on the stairs? Give people flexible hours so they can organise themselves to miss the traffic congestion and shorten their journey," he advised.

"Allow them to work their hours in four days if they wish. Employers will get more performance from staff who feel good about their job," he pointed out.

Wasting time

A remote-working scheme can also be helpful. "It's likely that someone commuting four hours a day would be able to work some of those four hours if they could avoid wasting them, perhaps by working remotely even one day a week," said Gregory.

Dixon agreed that both remote working and flexible work schedule are good for the company and the workers. Such options can positively break the worker's weekly commuting routine and, at the same time, translate into office space and maintenance savings.

"Workers and businesses alike need to consider the traditional modes of working that are too bound to single work locations. Commuting times can be greatly reduced by allowing workers a choice of location from which to work, more flexibility in terms of office hours and of remote location," said Dixon.

Remote working may not apply to all companies and employees, however. Cowling advised that employers should first consider if this alternative will work well with the company's activities and the employee's role.