Rush hour: the daily commute just got a lot longer

Rush hour: the daily commute just got a lot longer

New Regus study reveals longer commutes adding 1.5 hours of travel time every week.

New Zealand, 20 October 2014: Despite all the evidence that shorter commuting times increase employee productivity and motivation, the average New Zealand commute is extending. The average commute in New Zealand has increased by nine minutes each way since 2012, according to research by global workplace provider Regus. This adds up to an extra hour and a half of travel for Kiwi’s travelling to back and forth to work for five days a week.

The survey, part of a global poll of over 22,000 professionals, found that the average one-way commute now takes 27 minutes, compared to only 18 minutes two years ago and accounts for almost an hour of travel time each day.

Most workers try to remain productive during their commute and thanks to their smart devices they keep busy by listening to music (66%) making phone calls (57%), and catching up on the day’s news (51%).

Social media also plays a significant part in the daily commute with 30% updating and visiting personal social media accounts and 29% updating and visiting professional social media accounts.

Interestingly, activities during intraday travel such as to and from meetings, has found respondents are more likely to check emails (40%) and significantly less likely to listen to music (29%).

Country Manager of Regus New Zealand, Nick Bradshaw, said: “It is astounding how much the daily commute has increased in New Zealand over the past two years. Anybody who has been stuck in gridlocked traffic during rush hour or who has seen rising accommodation costs force a move to a suburb further away from work will no doubt be aware of the lengthening commute time too many New Zealanders are facing.

“We are finding that there are many workers who would rather work closer to home, but still need an environment that is both professional and convenient. Kiwi businesses should be considering flexible work options to alleviate the stress and strain of lengthening travel times their employees are faced with.

“Examples of this include offering different working hours to miss peak hour, and providing employees with remote working locations such as Regus hubs, which offer drop-in business lounges to meeting rooms and video conferencing. By moving to a blended and agile workplace, companies can significantly shorten an employees’ daily commute, maximizing their productivity and boost their work:life balance.”

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