Rather than let rising health care costs continue to erode your profits, follow IKEA UK's lead and give your employees something that will let them cut their commuting costs and become healthier in the process.For years, IKEA (the Scandanavian furnishings giant) has been giving employees Christmas gifts like DVD players, digital cameras and other electronic gadgets. This year, the company gave something far more practical - folding bikes AND subsidies of 15% for commuting by mass transit.
When asked why IKEA UK chose to give employees folding bikes, IKEA's UK manager (Peter Hogsted) responded: "We want to create a better everyday life for the many and do what we can to make greener living possible. This is both for our co-workers, as well as our millions of customers...The bike is a fun present but there is a serious message. We all have a responsibility to do what we can to protect the environment... That is why we are also going to subsidise our employees who will use public transport to get to work... I am encouraged by the fact that a small step such as this has been widely welcomed... Interested parties ranging from government to NGOs have supported this eco-friendly proposal."
Without a doubt, some IKEA employees will be disappointed that they didn't receive yet another electronic toy; however, others will make full use of their new folding bikes and transit subsidies and will be forever grateful to upper management - not only for helping workers save money commuting but also for inspiring them to be more physically fit. Since bike riding also releases endorphins, these Christmas gifts should also result in a happier, more productive workforce (a fact shareholders will appreciate).
For an in depth article that Carlton Reid of BikeBiz.co.uk wrote on this Christmas story, go to ...
http://www.bikebiz.co.uk/Ikea-gifts-9000-folding-bikes-to-staffH
Respectfully,
Larry Lagarde
RideTHISbike.com
Urging bicycling for recreation, commuting, health and a better future.
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