Intuit, headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., is spotlighted in this article about the importance of human-resources professionals advancing transportation-demand initiatives at companies. The Mayo Clinic and Verizon are also featured for their impressive corporate TDM programs.
Although commuter programs may fall outside the scope of HR, some employers say this national recognition is part of their hiring and retention strategies. So whether HR professionals actually develop and oversee these subsidized benefits, which range from discounted bus passes and vanpools to free shuttles and bicycles, or simply help promote them to employees, they offer an effective way to grab, engage and retain skilled workers.
More employers are giving commuter benefits additional attention and funding, and are assigning them greater value in their benefits programs, says Elizabeth Hughes, president at TDM Specialists Inc., a transportation specialist in San Francisco that promotes ride-share opportunities throughout northern California.
Although commuter programs offer multiple benefits for employees, such as lowering auto-insurance premiums and providing up to $125 a month in pre-tax dollars, HR professionals may not know how to develop or manage them, she says. Some don’t make a strong enough case to senior executives that this is a low-cost benefit with high returns.
According to TDM surveys, employee recruitment and retention are the top two reasons why HR implements commuter programs, followed by reducing traffic congestion, she says. But like with any other HR program, it must be consistently promoted.
“Communication does require some type of management, care and feeding,” says Hughes, adding that many companies post program information on their intranets. “Mix high-tech with low-tech delivery. Put up an easel in the lobby and post the bus schedule or bike path. . . . People will get engaged.”
While recently helping one company improve its program, she advised the commuter manager to contact all new hires within two weeks of being on the job about how the program may help them. Harrington says program participation jumped by 17 percent that year.