Trainline: Employees would rather commute 4 hours than stay close to the office
During the violence, the migration of professionals left their apartments in the forest to live in the countryside in the most beautiful rural areas – and now even though the cities are coming back and the offices are reopening, they prefer to travel for hours by train (or plane) rather than abandon their new life on the outskirts.
New research by Trainline shows that the number of people in the UK who spend more than 3 hours commuting to and from work – otherwise known as, “excellent commuting” – has doubled since before the pandemic.
Although heavy commuters are defined as those with a commute of at least 90 minutes one way, the rail ticketing platform found that most actually spend at least 2 hours traveling each way.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, most of the big riders aren’t the lucky few who have to show up at the office once in a blue moon.
Most professionals who have moved away from the office during the crisis say they have a hybrid job to thank (or blame) for their new commute and being able to maintain their post-work country lifestyle.
On average, senior commuters go into the office three days a week and as a result, spend at least 12 hours – more than a full working day – on the train every week, just to sit at their desks.
Although they had less time to enjoy their city life than those living closer to the office, three-quarters of senior commuters said they were happy about it, and more than one-third reported they enjoyed a better work-life balance.
Others agreed that the arduous journey was worth it because of their reduced costs of living on the outskirts.
Super commuting is a global phenomenon
Super commuting is not a UK-specific trend. Across the pond in the States, the average distance to work increased from 10 miles in 2019 to 27 miles by the end of 2023, according to research from payroll processing and HR services firm Gusto.
According to their data, millennials—many of them in their thirties and settled down—live far from their employer.
Take hairstylist Katlin Jay: This 30-year-old travels 650 miles by plane from Charlotte, NC to New York every two weeks.
But, he told The New York Post that he pays less in commuting (about $1,000 a month) than he would in rent if he lived closer to his side job in the Upper West.
Meanwhile, in Germany, the 32-year-old director flies across the continent from London on a mission to get the best of both worlds. However, for those who are attracted to Seb’s lifestyle, he warned Business Insider that a 5 hour commute will not be sustainable in the long run.
But be warned: You may be asked to go back
Even now that it’s clear that many companies will need their workers in the office for part of the week—and no doubt hearing their colleagues complain about their long commutes—Trainline’s research found that more than half of urban workers are looking for a commuter club. .
Why? Like today’s top riders, most think it will improve their work-life balance.
“Collaboration has greatly helped change the way we work and travel over the past few years, with more people now choosing to commute to live and work where they want,” said Sakshi Anand, Trainline’s VP of growth.
“Our research shows that not only is rail ridership increasing, but this trend is likely to continue.”
But beware: Managers may ask you to choose between the office or your life on the sidelines.
Last week, Patagonia told its remote customer service employees that they now have to live within 60 miles of one of seven “locations” in Atlanta, Salt Lake City, Reno, Dallas, Austin, Chicago, or Pittsburgh.
The ongoing outage has given about 90 workers an ultimatum: relocate or quit.
Similarly, last year TikTok warned American workers whose home addresses are not close to their office, that they could lose their jobs if they don’t move.
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