How Healthy is Cycling? 8 Benefits + Bike Plan

1. Air Quality

There are various reasons to take the bike. It’s great for your health, while simultaneously benefiting the environment. In the Netherlands, we cycle up to 15 billion kilometers. If we were to travel these kilometers by car, we would emit up to:

• • 2.3 megatons of CO2

• • 3.1 NOx

• • 150 tons of particulate matter

Even a short bike ride contributes to air quality. For longer bike trips, you can easily take an electric bike – this way you’re still contributing to the environment.

2. Sustainable Transport

We’re all becoming increasingly aware of our environmental impact, both personally and from business and organizational perspectives. Are you looking for an effective way to make your company more environmentally friendly? Want to contribute to sustainability? Then encourage employees to cycle more often to the store or work. You can already cycle sustainably with an electric bike. It’s a growing trend in sustainable transport. Not just for commuting, but also for trips to the supermarket for office lunch or client meetings across town.

3. Health

There are dozens of reasons why cycling is good for health. It reduces stress, stimulates your brain, and actively builds muscle. Half an hour of cycling per day also improves your fitness and prevents obesity. These are just some examples of what cycling is good for. Especially when you regularly take the city bike or electric bike for short trips.

4. Resistance and Immune System

Cycling in all weather conditions, or just one ride per day in the sun, ensures better ventilation of your airways and improved blood flow to your lungs. This better protects the body against viruses. Moreover, you get more oxygen outdoors. This is healthy for your memory, skin, and lungs. Fresh air is also good for your sleep rhythm and mood, as you get more vitamin D. Your body becomes stronger and better able to fight off viruses and flu.

5. Mental Health

How healthy is cycling for your mental health? Cycling is a great way to relax and improve mental health. Research has shown that cycling can reduce stress levels and improve mood by promoting endorphin release in the brain. This makes it an ideal activity to reduce negative thoughts. It also helps with concentration, increases focus and clarity. As well as sleep rhythm, helping you wake up refreshed.

6. Fit Employees

Exercise before the workday results in fit employees. Vitality goes hand in hand with healthy workers. So it definitely makes sense to encourage your employee to cycle to work. Fit employees are crucial for companies. Healthy employees equal sustainable employability. They also have more energy to perform tasks, with more perseverance and drive.

7. Lower Absenteeism

The boost to the immune system, our resistance, and health results in healthy employees. TNO stated a few years ago that employers can save up to 27 million euros per year when employees cycle more often. Because they take fewer sick days. And that with just a single bike ride!

A simple translation:

If 10 employees swap their car for a bike three days a week on a 20-minute one-way trip (6x) to and from work? This saves the employer €18,654 annually. *

The calculation distinguishes five health effects according to researcher Decisio, of which the effects of fitness work productivity and sick leave benefit the employer.

*(source: working in motion)

8. High Work Productivity

Staff who feel good, are healthy, and start the workday in a good mood, work well. This increases workplace productivity. Cycling increases energy levels and promotes concentration. This stimulates creativity. The improved mental health also has a positive effect on work productivity.

Regular cycling appears to improve alertness, focus, decisiveness, and problem-solving ability – all essential for top performance at work. All these factors contribute to a better overall attitude towards work tasks, leading to more commitment in the workplace and greater employee motivation. How healthy is cycling in numbers? Cyclists are 3% healthier!

Make it Even more Fun with a Business Lease Bike!

Cycling more often is therefore healthy for people, business, and the environment. Encouraging active mobility among employees can lead them to cycle or walk more, take the stairs more often, or have walking meetings. This has a positive effect on their health! Want to encourage employees to cycle to work more often? Focus mainly on the health benefits. After all, everyone wants to stay vital.

There are more benefits for employees to mention, which will get staff on their bikes every morning. For example, financial benefits of a lease package. But there are also numerous advantages for your employer with all-in-lease!

Interested in cycling employees who maintain your company’s productivity? Cyclis is happy to guide you through the possibilities of the bike lease plan. We’ll give you a free demo, where you’ll learn everything about bike leasing, the cost-neutral plan, and the benefits for both employee and employer.