Attracting talent is concern for most employers these days. Most of us think that a great job will negate any inconvenience employees may experience while getting to their job’s physical location. But a recent study by Oxford Properties and Environics Research Group shows that commute time was flagged as one of the most valuable attributes of a workplace.
Most workers feel a commute time of 30 minutes or less is acceptable, however, when all things are equal between two jobs, the candidate will choose the job with a better commute. Regional differences may factor in, as people in larger urban areas tend to be more accustomed to longer commutes.
What does this mean for employers? Companies in less than ideal locations need to either play up the other assets of their job opportunities in order to attract talent, or offer other options like telecommuting and flexible work schedules.
Employers have to consider commute and accessibility when looking for office space and those that are constructing office space have to consider that too.
Source: Canadian HR Reporter, January 27, 2014. Liz Bernier