Calming  the  Commuters  in  Your  Company    

Helping  Your  Employees  come  relaxed  and  leave  relaxed.    

Commuter  Health  Stats  

Facts  on  Commuters  and  Health  

•  BusinessWeeks  Research  Services  (2007)  Impact  of  CommuGng  on  Employees:  How  Commuter  Benefits  Can  Help    

                       hKp://www.transitcenter.com/uploadedFiles/Transit_Resources/IndustryInformaGon/2008_Business_Week_Survey.pdf.pdf  

 

2  components  to  implement  “calming  commuter’s  club”  

•  1)  Dissemina(on  method  throughout  company,  and  measurement  for  financial  and  health  assessment.    

•  2)  Calming  Technologies/Prac(ces  for  people  to  use  on  their  commute    

Types  of  intervenGon  for  commuters  

•  WE  are  NOT  creaGng  a  Behavior  Change  to  take  public  transit  (destress  is  an  outcome  of  it)    

 •  WE  ARE  trying  to  reduce  Stressing  in  the  duraGon  of  their  commute,  whatever  type  of  commute  they  take.    

•  How  might  we…  design  calming  tech  on  all  three  types  of  these  commutes?  (what  is  an  appropriate  soluGon  –  Personal  car  –  Train  or  bus  –  Bike  or  Walk    

Helping  Employer  create  the  right  Benefit  Packages  

•  “Edenred  provides  solu-ons  that  promote  personal  well-­‐being  and  organiza-onal  efficiency”  – White  label  plaYorm,  WiredCommute  uses  Third  Party  Administrators  to  offer  a  comprehensive  and  compliant  commuter  benefit  program  under  their  exisGng  brand  

 •  TransitChek:  Benefit  package,  making  commuter  benefits,  easy,  convienient,  %  financially  rewarding  

     hKp://www.edenredusa.com/commuter.html  

ExisGng  White  Label  SoluGons:  For  Company  Wide  Commuter  Benefits  programs    

•  Greenyour.com:    “Steps  to  Green  your  staff  commu-ng.”      Ways  to  implement  a  public  incenGve  program  in  company,  with  focus  is  on  environmental  reasons.  Health  of  the  planet,  not  the  health  of  the  employees.  Structure  is  focused  on  the  people,  but  the  implementaGon  plan  within  the      

•  commuterchoice.com:  “Linking  Employers  and  Transporta-on  Providers”      AssociaGon  for  commuter  transportaGon  (ACT)  non-­‐profit  organizaGon  is  a  third  party  that  gives  resources  to  employers  to  tailor  programs  their  company’s  commuter  package  for  with  service  providers  in  local  areas  to  implement  transportaGon  soluGons.  Focused  on  financial  benefits.  Small  porGon  on  technology  trends  to  change  the  nature  of  commute  and  demand.  Service  is  available  across  USA.    

•  Ranked  3rd  to  intell  and  mircosob,  b/c  did  not  have  the  diverse  commuter  package    

•  BUT  Google  has  the  Hype  and  Success  story  about  corporate  commutes  because  it’s  goal  was  different:  Google  focuses  on  CONVIENCE  for  their  workers  (closer  to  health  and  stress  of  workers)    

•  “it  has  changed  the  quality  of  my  life”  45  yr  old  sobware  engineer,  commuGng  from  SF  to  Silacon  Valley  

•  Extends  from  Concord  (54  mi  north)  to  Santa  Cruz  (38  mil  south)  

•  Starts  at  5:05  am,  evening  cycle  starts  3:40-­‐10:40,  picking  up  every  15  minutes.    

•  Affects  employee  choice  on  where  to  live:  traffic  is  the  #  1  convern  for  Bay  area’s  residents  for  the  10th  year  in  a  row  

 (Google’s  Buses  Help  It’s  Workers  Beat  the  Rush,  March  2007:hKp://www.nyGmes.com/2007/03/10/technology/10google.html?pagewanted=2)  

ExisGng  Calming  SoluGons  

Mayo  Clinic  Health  SoluGons:    MeditaGon  PracGces  on  Your  ipod  from  by  mRemedy.    Includes  breathing  and  relaxing  techniques  with  beach  scene.  “Healing  thoughts”  that  can  be  shared  in  other  social  media.                

The  Many  List  of  “Ways  to  De-­‐stress  your  Commute”  From  Bloggers    *  The  Personalized  Playlist    *  Get  Comfortable:  change  

clothes,  clean  car  *  Leave  Slightly  later  or  

Leave  Earlier  *  Choose  a  scenic  route  *  PracGce  breathing  *  Roll  your  shoulders  and  

move  neck  around    

A  iphone  game  that  uses  your  locaGon  as  the  scenario  for  your  game.  On  your  commute,  kill  the  zombies  around  you.    

Mindfulness:    ALen(on  focused  on  self    regardless  of  place  

Control  your  reac(on    to  your  current  situa(on  

 Ac(vely  engage  of    the  passing  environment    around  you  

Serenity  to  go:  Calming  Techniques  for  your  hecGc  life  –  Mina  Halmiton    

•  Book  2001:  A  series  of  triggers  in  a  typical  “on  the  go”  person’s  day  to  start  breathing  Gps,  postures,  mindfulness–  from  your  morning  shower,  to  behind  the  wheel,  to  post  commute  relaxaGon.