The Channel Nine relocation shows that supporting employees at a time of change can make a positive difference.

Profile


Channel Nine’s Perth office was located at suburban Dianella. Management decided to relocate to the Perth city centre. Almost all of the 130 employees drove to Dianella where there was ample parking. The new workplace only had 44 bays. Channel Nine management wanted to support staff throughout the move and partnered with Your Move to promote travel alternatives to help staff make the most of their new, accessible work location.

Action


The Your Move team tailored a service to support Channel Nine staff with their move. This involved:
  • Conversations with interested staff about their commute to the new workplace. 47 staff took up the offer and talked with a Your Move coach about their concerns and options for commuting to the new workplace.
  • Providing personalised journey plans to staff, with step by step advice on travel from home to work by their preferred alternative to driving. Supporting information, e.g. bus or train timetables, was also available.
  • Channel 9 funding SmartRider cards for staff as an incentive to try public transport. Cards with $30 credit for fares were provided to 103 staff.

Outcomes

  • Surveys before and after the relocation showed a 58 percent reduction in car commuting. At least 53 people who drove to Dianella found a different way to get to work when they moved. A reduction was expected due to the change in location and parking; Your Move amplified this effect, estimated at 22 percentage points.
  • Many staff said they enjoyed a different journey experience by taking advantage of public transport to read, catch up on emails, or relax. One said that public transport was “better than expected – I'd expected scary people on the train, but they're all just travelling to work like us.”
  • Staff provided with SmartRider cards took 2,951 trips over 3 months with 35 trips on average per card issued. They matched the initial $30 amount on their cards, with $6,000 from their own pockets.

Implications for others

  • Moving to a new workplace can be a good opportunity for people to reconsider how they commute.
  • Discussing travel options with interested people and providing personalised information, like journey plans, can support a shift to active transport.
  • SmartRider cards can be a tangible incentive to try commuting by public transport.
  • Management support is important for success – in this case the Managing Director promoted the project to staff and funded the SmartRider cards as part of change management for the workplace move.

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