It’s not news that bikes make life better. Exercise, freedom, and that feeling of flying are a welcome perk to any day, but we get a lot of calls from companies that are curious about how they can deliver those benefits to their employees. In this post, we’ll look at the (sometimes surprising) ways bikes can be used to boost morale, productivity, and fun in the workplace!
1. SAVE PRECIOUS EATING TIME AND RIDE TO LUNCH!
We’re probably not blowing any minds with this one, but your employees have to eat. If they’re anything like our team, they likely eat every day! Whether your coworkers typically walk or drive for their mid-day meal, having a bike available gives them an option that’s both speedy and active. For the walkers, a bike means extra time to enjoy their meal. For drivers, a bike means they have the calories to spare for dessert! And in both instances it saves them the mid-day trip to the gym because the workout’s included in the transportation! Did we mention that a midday workout boosts creativity, productivity, and job satisfaction?
2. HOLD AN OUTDOOR MEETING
Speaking of boosting creativity, if your meetings could use a pick-me-up, take a page from the modern-office playbook and get outside for a change of scenery! It’s easy to get in a rut meeting with the same people in the same places every week, but take that meeting on the road and the fresh sights and sounds (not to mention fresh air) can inject some new life into those comatose conferences. A local path, park, or even just a few laps around the office park on the back of a bike can spice up even the stuffiest sessions – the hardest part is bringing the meeting to an end.
3. TAKE A 15-MINUTE REFRESH RIDE
Just because you don’t have any meetings scheduled, doesn’t mean your brain couldn’t benefit from a bike boost. Some of humanity’s greatest realizations came on the back of a bicycle. Albert Einstein theorized relativity while on two wheels, Albert Hoffman revolutionized pharmaceuticals on a ride, and it’s no coincidence that the Wright Brother’s owned a bike shop before they took to the skies – there’s something about a bike that gives your brain the ability to wander in all the right ways. If you and your team hit the afternoon wall, having a bike available for people to take a “refresh ride” is all it takes to jumpstart the post-lunch lull.
4. SHRINK YOUR CAMPUS!
Business isn’t always about big ideas and bike rides, but it is always about getting things done. In the modern workplace, with employees wearing more hats and doing more jobs than ever before, it’s not uncommon to feel like you have to be everywhere at once. While we’re still a few “theoretical physics rides” away from solving that problem, bikes do a great job of shrinking sprawling campuses. Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google all turned to bikes to solve the problem of moving people from one place to another quickly. Having a fleet of branded bikes is a great way to build a sense of community on your campus and it keeps your employees from turning down an opportunity to help a colleague because they don’t want to make “the long trip over there”.
5. INSTALL A MOBILE (OR STATIONARY) CHARGING STATION
It’s the 21st century and half the things in your pocket, purse, or desk can be charged via USB. But plugging into your computer while you work is boring (and doesn’t burn any calories), so some offices are adding a bit of fun by using bikes like the Siva Juliet or Bourbon to offer their teams a charging challenge. Whether it’s a stationary set up in the office gym, or a spruced up lunch-runner, getting juice from your own pedal power is a treat that gets people motivated. Just don’t be surprised when your coworkers start bringing in more electronic goodies from home, just so they can spend some more time spinning.
6. BEAT THE MAILMAN, DELIVER YOUR GOODS ON WHEELS!
If your clients or customers are local, bring your business to them on a bike! The food industry has been on the delivery bandwagon for years, but bikes make all kinds of deliveries possible! Whether it’s heading to a client’s site for some consultation, fulfilling a local order, or even showing houses to prospective buyers, tons of businesses are using bikes to deliver their services. The low costs of operating a bicycle (can you say, “free parking everywhere”?) coupled with the mental and physical perks make biking an attractive choice for small and large companies alike!
7. HAVE FUN, GO RACE
Work can’t feel like work all the time. Sure, you have to pay people to show up, but give them some fun and they’ll be happy to share their day with you. Sometimes that means breaking free for some good-spirited competition! In our offices, that takes the form of timed races around the office building, in other workplaces it’s drag races on the fleet machines, or a race to see who can charge a dead iPhone the fastest on a charging bike. In all cases though, it’s a break from the monotony, a chance to cheer with coworkers, and an afternoon adrenaline boost to kick-start productivity.
And that’s not an exhaustive list, just the ones we’ve been seeing lately! If you’ve got a great idea for bikes in the workplace, let us know in the comments and if you’re interested in what our design team can come up with for you and your coworkers, drop us a line – we love talking about bikes!