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Encouraging employees to leave the car at home and cycle to work is good for them, good for business and good for the planet

Fewer workers will get company cars due to working from home, while more will be given electric vehicles

Cycle commuting is growing in popularity in these cash-strapped times. So if you’re thinking of offering employees a cycle-to-work scheme, here are some tips

Having relaunched its EV salary sacrifice scheme in December 2021 and made it available to the entire company, rather than a ring fenced population of employees, Ian Davis, head of payroll at Direct Line explained how it boosted its ESG agenda.

The environmental, social and governance (ESG) benefits of an electric vehicle (EV) scheme are apparent, but what would introducing one during the current economic climate mean for employees? Elizabeth Howlett asks the experts.

Pre-pandemic, benefits surrounding company cars was an emotive subject reward professionals approached with caution. Long considered a status symbol and a way to lure talent into the fold, the company car has been a widely popular benefit and as ubiquitous as free fruit or Friday drinks. 

The move towards electric vehicles (EVs) has steadily been gaining momentum but, with recent events around panic buying fuel, and a heightened spotlight on climate change, more people and businesses will undoubtedly be drawn to this alternative.

With the 2020/21 P11D submission deadline of 6 July approaching fast, employers must ensure their forms are correct before they are sent to HMRC.

The move towards electric company vehicles is certainly accelerating. At REBA we have noticed a distinct increase in the number of questions being asked about electric car policies on rebaLINK; our confidential members-only networking forum.

The popularity of cycle to work schemes received a boost in 2020 as the government introduced its Active Travel plans to encourage cycling as an alternative method of commuting. Not only is cycling good for the environment and our health, but it also enables social distancing – something that will be crucial when there is a cautious return to the workplace. However, one of the stumbling blocks of the scheme is the requirement that at least 50% of the cycle’s use must be for qualifying journeys, i.e. commuting to work.

Lockdown has taught us that society’s impact on the environment is undeniable. We’ve seen a significant increase in wildlife and a decrease in pollution. After realising that change is within reach, employees are more focussed than ever on how we can look after our planet, and both consumers and employees want to see more ethically-conscious organisations. If employers don't take these expectations seriously, they run the risk of future irrelevancy.

As companies are being forced to reconsider the financial and carbon cost of employee movement, a wide range of service providers are disrupting the market and providing mobility solutions that are shifting the focus from long-term leasing and ownership, to usage and mobility.

“Business Mobility” is a hot topic. Whole swaths of the fleet industry are refining their propositions around the term. Leasing companies such as Alphabet have repositioned themselves as “business mobility partners”, while the CEO of SIXT suggests customers are not concerned about the method of transport, as long as they get quickly and conveniently to their destination.

As of 1 September 2018, all new car registrations will need to issue CO2 emission based on WLTP (Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure) rather than the previously applied NEDCA.

Employee mobility and the provision of mobility solutions is an area that can have a big impact on workplace stress and financial anxiety. Company cars remain a popular benefit perk for many employees, however the industry is seeing a small but growing shift toward cash alternatives, relieving the employer of much responsibility and shifting it to the employee. And in the confusing and predatory world of car retailing, this is not a recipe conducive to employee wellbeing.

The recent REBA crafted report on wellbeing (REBA/Punter Southall Employee Wellbeing Research 2018) clearly demonstrates the growing strategic importance of wellbeing strategies and services.

How can you attract key talent by improving the value of your company car offer by 50 per cent, without increasing your costs?