COMP NEWS – Companies who dole out commuter benefits have an easier time acquiring and retaining talent, according to a new survey of HR professionals.
- Most of the more than 400 HR professionals surveyed by transit benefit vendor Jawnt said that their companies offered some form of commuter benefit — and more than one-third of respondents said that commuter benefits helped encourage employees to return to the office.
- Employers saw other perks from offering commuter benefits, per the report, from helping employees save money to meeting environmental goals to acquiring and retaining talent.
- Obstacles to implementing commuter benefits included the time it takes to answer employee questions and dealing with HR systems and information technology-related challenges, Jawnt found. The company said this may be compounded by the fact that most employees enrolled in commuter benefits use them daily, meaning the need for assistance with technical issues or other matters can be more frequent than for other benefit categories.
Amidst an ongoing row between employees and employers over work-from-home policies, analysts say that commuter benefits could function as a compromise.
A confluence of events has put a spotlight on commuting in 2024, particularly the return-to-office trend. Past research by Resume Builder found that close to 90% of employers planned to implement RTO policies by the end of this year. That’s despite resistance by employees who might prefer a remote, hybrid or other flexible work arrangement — including those who would like to avoid their commute.
The push for RTO gives employers an opportunity to revisit their commuting policies more generally, sources previously told HR Dive, including the notion that commuting privately by car is the only option or the option that most employers would necessarily choose. Organizations like Seattle Children’s Hospital, aware of the problems caused by car congestion and the costs of building and maintaining on-site parking, have built commute programs that emphasize choice.
To read more about companies using commuter benefits to achieve RTO goals, click here.
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