Early data has shown that rail travel has significantly increased since the introduction of the 9-euro ticket. And, while the highest increase is seen over the weekend, weekdays are seeing a notable rise in rail travellers too!
A great explanation for this could be that office workers are, understandably, using the 9-euro ticket to go to the office. Whether this rise is caused by more office workers deciding to return to the office after an extended period of working from home, or regular office-goers are ditching cars to use the trains, it’s good news for businesses.
This increase in rail travel also means that traffic and congestion have dropped on many roads. Meaning, a win-win situation for both employers and employees, as office workers may now be arriving earlier and enjoying a better work-life balance!
5 ways to compensate for the end of the 9-euro ticket
With the 9-euro ticket scheme coming to an end at the end of August 2022, and so far no replacement scheme in place, managers and businesses across Germany may be worried about employees boycotting the office. However, there are some ways that this can be avoided.
We discuss these, below:
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Offer transportation passes
If you’ve already seen a rise of employees coming to the office since the 9-euro ticket has been in place, then you know that transportation benefits work.
Therefore, a logical step would be to implement a transport benefit like this within your own business. You can choose to offer a subsidised rail ticket through a scheme like the BVG corporate ticket, pay for the whole ticket, or find another benefit that works for your budget.
Alternatively, you can choose to offer a completely different transportation scheme, such as the UK’s Cycle to Work scheme. Something like this can really help to improve your employer branding and demonstrate your morals as a company.
A good way to find out which type of transportation scheme works best for your team is to ask them in a feedback session!
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Moving to hybrid work
While most employees would agree that an office is an excellent place for collaboration with team members, something they don’t miss about the office is its impact on their personal lives. Spending eight or more hours a day in the office (not counting the commuting time) for five days a week leaves little time for family and friends.
Therefore, if you’re giving your team the option to either come into the office or be fully remote, chances are they’re going to go for the remote option.
One way to tackle this is by offering a hybrid working option. This allows employees the freedom to come to the office a few times a week, while remaining at home on other days. You can either set a number of days you want them to be in the office, as well as which days, or for further freedom, allow your team to choose.
Still not sure about the difference between remote work and hybrid work? Or not convinced hybrid work is right for you? Find out more in our article remote vs hybrid work.
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Allow for different start times
With the 9-euro ticket coming to an end, rush hour traffic is most likely going to return to similar levels as before.
Not only is this bad for morale and punctuality, but it will mean the newfound work-life balance your team may have been enjoying takes a hit. A great way to combat this is by allowing for different start times. This may mean team members coming in earlier or later, or coming into the office at lunchtime to spend the second half of the day there. This is known as flexible working.
Of course, this will mean not scheduling meetings during the time employees may be travelling or are not in the office.
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Don’t punish those who don’t return to the office
One of the main mistakes businesses may make when employees choose to remain at home rather than travel to the office, is to retaliate with punishment. However, this can actually have the opposite of the desired effect.
Handing out sanctions, such as forcing employees to come to the office, reducing bonuses, or taking away benefits, will only increase resentment in the workplace. Rather than punish employees who are opting to stay home, instead, you should question why this is and what you can do to change this. More on that point, below.
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Creating a great workplace culture
One of the best ways to ensure employees don’t drift back into a home office first mindset is to create an enjoyable culture for them within the office.
This means creating an environment where they can collaborate, communicate, and focus. Not sure how to do that? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
Check out our articles on company culture, here.
