Commuting costs affecting decision to return to office, research suggests

THE rising cost of travel has caused many workers to reconsider commuting to the office, although things may change in the winter because of high heating bills, new research suggests.

A survey of 500 UK workers indicated that almost half plan to stay away from offices because of the high cost of commuting.

A study of thousands of employees in several other countries, including the United States, Australia and France, found similar results.

Technology firm Citrix said its research indicated that one in four UK workers will return to offices more often in the winter to reduce the cost of heating their home.

Traci Palmer of Citrix said: “It’s a classic cost-benefit analysis.

“Employees have learned they can engage and be just as productive working from home, and as fuel prices continue to increase, they are questioning whether the benefits of being in the office outweigh the time and money associated with commuting.

“The key to keeping employees engaged and productive lies in creating work-from-anywhere experiences that are seamless, fuel connection and collaboration, and empower people to do their best work.”

Two thirds of UK workers surveyed said their employers should help them with the costs of travelling to work.