Commuting – sometimes a nightmare, but a necessity!

The Proclaimers were prepared to walk 500 miles for something or other. Probably some romantic engagement or gesture. Either way that’s one hell of a journey. I currently commute approximately 45 minutes to get to work. For me, this isn’t an issue as the drive is a nice scenic cruise through the Cotswolds – which certainly beats the A34 in rush hour. The only problems I ever seem to face are following tractors at 20mph or trying to avoid pheasants with a death wish. They truly are the most stupid creatures known to humankind.

How far someone is willing to travel for work is very much a personal choice and certainly one that shouldn’t be taken lightly when you’re looking for a new role. There are certain considerations that come into play. Do you have your own car or will you need to rely on public transportation? If you have kids do you want to be within a few miles to be able to go to school events like the effing nativity play, or pick them up from the childminders early because they’ve chundered everywhere?

Commuting is an important factor for both employee and employer alike. For candidates applying for a position, it’s always worth travelling the route at peak times so you can get a feel for what your journey will look like. You’ll be able to answer questions such as ‘is this bearable?’, ‘can I see myself doing this commute long term?’ and ‘is it just not worth it because of that pissing double roundabout that sends my anxiety levels through the roof?’

For our clients, it’s an equally important consideration before hiring someone. They need to assess if the distance an employee is traveling on a daily basis will turn into an issue later on down the line. Ideally, they want to be able to retain their staff long term and not lose someone 6 months after their start date because they just cannot stand the A34 (sorry I’ve mentioned that road twice now but it really is a shit one).

So ensure you do your due diligence when it comes to commuting. Look at key elements such a travel time, fuel cost and accessibility. As mentioned previously the distance/time you’re willing to travel is very much a personal decision and you may make more concessions in that area depending on how much you want a particular job, but even then it is worth considerable thought.