August 2007 VOL. 2

Did You Know?
Long Commutes are Painful

Nearly 70 percent of large companies believe that long commutes caused by a lack of affordable housing near work centers increase employee stress and trigger negative emotion among employees, according to a new survey released by the Urban Land Institute (ULI).

“Ever-increasing commutes are taking a heavy toll on our urban areas, from a social, economic, and environmental aspect,” says ULI Senior Resident Fellow William H. Hudnut III. “Something’s got to give.”

The survey, conducted between April 26, 2007 and May 1, 2007 by Harris Interactive®, was taken to gauge perceptions by employers and commuters regarding the impact of long distances between housing and jobs on business operations and workers’ quality of life. Overall, companies in the West were the most likely to acknowledge insufficient affordable housing as being a problem.

The same survey indicated that the shortage of affordable housing is responsible for difficulties with hiring and retaining of entry- and mid-level workers. Nearly 70 percent of survey participants said a lack of affordable housing is having a negative impact on retaining qualified entry-level and mid-level employees, while 58 percent of respondents said they had lost employees at least in part to long commute times. Almost half of respondents said long commute times cause more absenteeism and contribute to employee turnover/attrition.

Only 21 percent of companies that participated in the survey offer telecommuting opportunities, and only 45 percent of survey respondents offer flextime to reduce commuting time.