Improved health and productivity have been linked to shorter commute times and with flexible hours and new cycle pathways becoming more popular, more people than ever are looking to shorten their commute.
New research of 1,000 London workers revealed that 46% of people are commuting over half an hour a day to get to work, but that the shorter your commute, the more you enjoy your job.
The study by Flexioffices who make the search for office space easy, found the shorter your commute the happier you are at work, with only 1 in 10 Londoners hitting the sweet spot of a 20-minute journey.
Even though most London employees live and work in the capital, 17% commute over an hour a day, which equates to more than 5 hours of travelling to and from the office a week.
Furthermore, workers with access to greenspace and parks are happier than those without access.
Detailing which boroughs are the happiest, in top spot is Richmond where 93% of workers in Richmond enjoy going to work, of which 1 in 3 of those have a commute of 20 minutes or less. Workers have also named Richmond as one of the best boroughs for greenspace, pubs and coffee shops.
Islington workers are also some of the happiest with 90% enjoying going to work with 55% commuting under 30 minutes. Hackney workers are also benefiting from a short commute with 66% of journeys under 30 minutes and nearly 90% enjoying their job. These boroughs also provide great access to gyms, train stations, restaurants and coffee shops.
News travels fast with a recent market report finding that people wanting office space in these areas is increasing, with a 38% rise in viewings in West London, and a 47% rise in East London. As workplace trends are moving more towards collaboration and agility, businesses are physically moving closer to their employees.
Amenities such as gyms, coffee shops and parks becoming the decision makers for employees, especially for the two ends of a career with 18-24 and 55+ year olds ranking greenspace and cafes as important facilities to have close to work.
The younger generation have a shorter commute time with 41% of 18-24 year olds spending less than 80 minutes a week travelling, in comparison to just a quarter of 45-54 year olds.
Boroughs without a skip in their step on the way to work are Lewisham and Southwark. 85% of Southwark employees don’t enjoy going to work, of which 62% have a commute of over half an hour. Lewisham is similar with 77% not enjoying going to work and with a commute over 30 minutes.
Michael Dubicki, Business Director from Flexioffices commented:
“As we have identified from our Market Report, recently there has been lots of activity around finding new office space in London.
“With Brexit causing uncertainties for many businesses, we have experienced companies choosing the flexible options, which at the same time allows them to offer the creative space employees are looking for.
“To make it easier for companies who are looking for their next office space, we have recently developed a new tool using multiple leading data sources to find the average costs of serviced offices and conventional office space, to help people make the right choice.
“Workplace trends are moving more and more towards collaboration and agility, revealing the amenities employees in London are striving for allows companies to approach their new workspace with careful consideration.”
