Does your workplace want to encourage and support more employees to commute by bike? By integrating cycling into your business in a positive and convenient way, you can not only achieve recognition as a Bike Friendly Workplace, but also support employee well-being and boost productivity and sustainability of your business.
To become a Bike Friendly Certified Workplace, your business is required to meet the certification criteria highlighted below. To apply for certification fill out the online sign-up form. If you need help going bike friendly, or would like to access bike racks or membership benefits, please get in touch.
WHAT IS REQUIRED TO BE A BIKE FRIENDLY?
Bike Friendly Workplaces provide amenities that make cycling to work convenient and comfortable. They may also implement policies and practices that support and encourage employees to commute by bike.
BIKE PARKING
Nothing says, “Cyclists Welcome,” more than bike parking. This is required for Bike Friendly Certification.
Provide covered, secure bike parking for employees or tenants. Preferably a bike storage room or bike shed (or locker) fitted with racks and with limited access or security monitoring. Alternatively provide parking within the office space. Short term visitors bike parking may also be supplied.
Use both floor mounted and hanging bike racks to cater for different types of bikes. Check racks allow for bike locking. Consider supplying e-bike charge points.
Speak to us for more info on bike parking design and discounts on bike racks available to our members.
COMMUTER FACILITIES
Optional amenities that make cycling to work convenient:
- Showers, change rooms with lockers. An iron in the change room as well as hair dryers is a bonus. Alternatively where space is an issue, organise employees access to facilities at gyms nearby.
- Bike Repair Kit/ Station. Basic tools with a tire pump can be a big help for quick repairs. Add a bike repair stand to make cleaning, repairs or adjustments easier.
- Bike Cleaning Station or area to wash bikes
- Water point for bottle top ups before riding
POLICIES & PRACTICES
Workplace policies and practices that help promote and encourage cycling to work:
- Recognise and reward people who travel by bike. Develop an incentive program that rewards kilometres ridden, or days biking to work per week. Incentives could be financial or they could take the form of subsidies for bicycles and bike gear.
- Allow for flexible work schedules to enable bicycle commuters to avoid rush hour traffic and darkness, or to take bikes on the train during off-peak hours.
- Use bicycle couriers or make deliveries by bike.
BUILD A CYCLING CULTURE
Building a fun and inclusive culture of bicycling at your workplace can help bring more employees on board.
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- Inspire and inform. Chat to employees about the benefits of riding to work and make them aware of your bike friendly facilities, local commuter routes & cycling initiatives.
- Lunch time rides or Bike2Work Days are a great way for regular and new cyclists to meet, and may even entice more employees to commute to work by bike.
- Create a workplace BUG (bicycle user group) to spread the bike to work message, share knowledge on bike routes and co-ordinate initiatives. BUGs are usually championed by a keen cyclist plus (ideally) a core of fellow employees.
- Start a bike buddy scheme, pairing new riders with experienced riders so they can share their routes together.
- Start an office Bike Bus or group commute. This works like a car-pool without a car!
BIKES & EDUCATION
Encourage more ridership by helping your employees access bikes and improve their cycling skills.
- Initiate an earn-a-bike programme for employees who do not have access to bikes. Alternatively connect with projects like Bike4All.
- Offer workshops and cycle skills training. Bring in local cycling instructors or bike advocacy organizations to run a workshop for keen employees. Alternatively, connect employees to places where they can learn how to ride.
- Offer workplace shared bikes that can be used by employees and staff for short trips to the shops, meetings or for lunch breaks. Chat to us about discounts on Bikes 4 UR Business.