How cycle to work schemes benefit everyone

With the cycling events underway at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Senior Wellbeing and Benefits Consultant Laura Matthews reflects on the many positives a cycle to work scheme can bring to both employees and employers.

While the aim may not to be to compete in the velodrome at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, the immediate benefits of cycling to work should be obvious on an individual basis – it’s good for you, your bank balance and the environment. 

And unlike years gone by, employers looking to implement a scheme have a wide variety of providers to choose from, offering different options for bikes and accessories, including electric bikes.

Some providers also offer alternatives at lower costs – such as discounts for hop on / hop off bike hire services – which could help employees being restricted by the current cost-of-living crisis who would otherwise consider cycling for their commute to work. 

But what are the headline benefits for employers, beyond the obvious ones? Here are just a few:

• Improving the long-term health of employees by reducing the chances of chronic illness and mental health issues through regular exercise – which also helps to tackle absenteeism. 
• Starting the day off feeling positive and energized can help improve productivity and job satisfaction amongst participating employees. If other employees see the positive impacts, this effect can snowball.
• Good levels of participation can reduce costs across parking, fuel and public transport expenditure. It also helps to reduce traffic congestion in and around your offices. There are other financial incentives too, including tax breaks.
• A cycle to work programme can feed into your wider sustainability goals, by reducing your overall carbon footprint. 
• Those applying to join your company can view a cycle to work scheme as an example of your company’s commitment to social and environmental responsibility, an increasingly common benefit in the ongoing war for talent. 

So in conclusion, a cycle to work scheme can not only help your employees improve themselves and the world around them (for a relatively minor cost), but also help improve your business as a whole. What’s not to love?

Want to find out how a cycle to work scheme could work for your organisation? Please feel free to contact our expert benefit consultants to discuss your options.