#PandaPounds: Sentiments toward the commute - Part 2

Welcome back to another #PandaPounds extravaganza! We previously began our journey (no pun intended) into the many aspects of the commute - looking at the average travel time and what would make a role desirable enough for someone to take a longer commute. If you missed part one, catch it here before you read on!

In part 2 of our commute focus, we’re taking a closer look at the part the commute plays in work life balance. Should the commute be considered an extension of your day at work, the beginning of your personal time or a limbo in between the two? If people were to take a new role, would they want their commute to reduce or stay the same? So many questions…

Underground, overground & overtime

Anyone who commutes within London on the tube will be no stranger to the rush hour madness. Or maybe you take a London bus through the busy roads? Whatever your route entails, you’ve probably seen someone on the commute doing work in some form.

Perhaps they are reading through a document armed with a highlighter or using a laptop to squeeze in some extra work as they travel. How many of our respondents spend their commute doing overtime?

Of all our respondents, only 7% selected they do no overtime at all. From a few minutes here and there to up to five hours plus, the remaining respondents gave varied lengths of time where overtime took place.

Is the commute an ideal place to do overtime?

25% of those who do overtime spend their commute doing some capacity of extra work. While that’s not a huge amount, surely people want to start unwinding from the work frame of mind as they make their way home.

Of the 16% who commute for more than an hour, only 13 individuals use this time to fit in some extra work. Furthermore, 3 of these respondents stated they were unhappy doing so.

It seems that those with a longer commute take a step back from using the time for extra work. Perhaps with a long commute ahead, they prefer to relax rather than continuing with a work mind set. 

How would the commute have to change?

Now that we have some great insights from our respondent’s current commutes, it’s time to peek into the future. Well, that’s if they’re looking for a new job of course!

We asked our respondents how long the ideal commute would be if they were to accept a new role. Are those with a short commute so content that they would never consider a longer commute again? On the other end of the spectrum, are people with long commutes desperate to reduce this? What we really want to find out is what our respondents consider to be an ideal commute.

• As mentioned, 16% of our respondents travel more than an hour to work. Of these ecommerce superstars, 74% wanted this to drop to one hour or less. A surprising 26% would still consider the commute they are doing now, and a small number would consider an even longer commute!

What about the 84% with a commute of less than an hour, or just up to one hour?

• 93% of these respondents, who typically travel between fifteen minutes up to an hour, did not mind a slight increase in their commute time as long at remained an hour or less. It doesn’t reflect a commitment to a huge change in commute.
• A small, yet nonetheless significant, 5% would actually consider increasing their commute from less than an hour to an hour or more. One of our respondents who has a very comfortable commute of less than 15 minutes would consider a commute that is more than three hours. A few others specified they would happily take a role with a commute of up to two hours.
• The remaining 2% with a commute of less than an hour would want less time travelling then they are already. Two of these respondents currently spend 45-60 minutes travelling, but would like their commute to reduce to no more than half an hour.

Why is a commute important when choosing a role?

Looking at the statistics above, it’s clear that the majority of our respondents ideally want a commute that is less than an hour. Even when considering a new role, a change in commute is often a big part of the decision factor…but why?

• Work life balance, as discussed above. A long commute means time spent away from personal relaxation. Families mean that people want to spend a reasonable time getting home so they do not miss quality time with children and loved ones.
• Having a close proximity between work and the home also allows a better balance in juggling work and home responsibilities.
• People have to consider back up plans. Whether it is traffic, unexpected failures in transport systems or even tube strikes, there has to be a comfortable alternative. The shorter the regular commute is, the bigger the likelihood a backup route is readily available. The more accessible a location is, the more attractive it will be to a candidate.
• Would employers consider a candidate with a long commute time? 44% of our respondents answered that they have hiring responsibility. Of all of those with hiring responsibility, 71% have a commute of less than an hour. As stated in our report, companies are becoming increasingly cautious to hire people with a commute of an hour or more. 
• As shown by the stats above, an ideal commute is seen as less than an hour so it’s worth making sure location is not an issue when approaching a new role. Flexible working as a benefit might help the decision process, yet only 25% of our respondents receive this. Is it a benefit that has to be earned overtime? Overall, the commute might not appear to be a problem if the role is a great one for your career, but a very long commute may soon take its toll. A manager does not want to deal with the negative effects from that… 

This blog terminates here…

We hope you’ve enjoyed our miniseries about the commute! This blog might have reached its destination but our #PandaPounds insights are just getting started! Keep your eye on our #PandaPounds tag on the ‘Panda Express’ and our social pages to stay up to date! You can also download a full copy of our report right here!