In recent years, the rise of remote work has been hard to miss, and 39% of UK employees now embrace some form of flexible working. While it might have once been hailed as a solution for easing congestion and lowering carbon emissions, experts have recently warned it could have the opposite effect.
Instead of alleviating pressure on our roads, working from home (WFH) could actually be contributing to traffic jams, resulting in higher emissions entering out atmosphere. Research has found that hybrid working, where employees split their time between their home and the office, often leads to an increase in driving.
Since the pandemic and the rise of flexible working, many employees have relocated to rural and suburban areas. While this has reduced the focus on cities, it has meant that workers now have far longer commutes on the days they do need to go into the office. Of course, it’s not just the commutes that could be increasing the volume of cars on our roads. Remote workers are also more likely to use their vehicles for additional errands throughout the day, such as school runs, gym visits or shopping trips.
A study conducted by Sussex University highlights the unintended consequences of remote working on road usage. It suggests that WFH might be adding millions of miles to Britain’s already congested road network, finding that, on average, hybrid workers travel 21 miles further each week than their office-bound counterparts.
The data revealed only those individuals who work almost entirely from home were able to see significant reductions in travel. In this instance, these workers reduced their vehicle use by 14 miles a week; however, these employees only represent 25% of the work-from-home workforce.
So, while there are numerous benefits to working from home, from improved work-life balance to reduced stress, the environmental and traffic implications of hybrid working need to be carefully considered.