The overall health benefits of smarter working and commuting are undisputable. Reducing the amount of work-related travel, and being flexible when staff can commute to work reduces the stress of commuting. Increasing the number of people walking and cycling even part of the way to work for some of the time will have a huge impact on congestion and public transport overcrowding, and a positive impact upon the health of those participating.

300 AA employees help to get cars moving from home

Three hundred AA employees are less stressed and are saving 90,000 litres of fuel or 620,000 miles commuting each year by working from home, according to the AA as part of Health Day in Workwise UK Commute Smart week. 

The AA has also sent out 50 motorcycles and electric scooters to help with commuter breakdowns in busy cities. This move has helped the AA patrols to "commute" more easily but is also a big hit with broken down commuters who get their vehicles fixed more quickly.

250 AA breakdown call centre employees and 50 insurance call handlers now work from the comfort of their own homes rather than commuting to call centres across the country. This in turn saves 212.5 tonnes of CO2 per year..

The AA has been a pioneer in the field of home working having started a pilot scheme in Leeds over ten years ago. Now the company has 300 homeworkers spread across Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham and Cardiff. The AA is looking to increase numbers in the Leeds area.

Some of the advantages to the homeworkers are:

• Avoiding the cost and congestion of the commute
• Lower stress levels
• Unlikely to be late for work
• Calmer working environment
• Combining work with childcare
• More flexibility for doctor/dentist appointments
• Always someone at home for security, comfort of family.

Some of the advantages to the AA are:

• Saves on office space
• Increased productivity
• Less absenteeism
• Easy to find recruits
• Technology works, broadband brought down costs
• Split shifts fit with busiest time on road
• Increased employee loyalty.

Commenting, Edmund King, AA president said:

"Our employees are saving valuable time and money by working from home. They tend to be less stressed as they don't suffer the road rage of congestion and are more able to fit in the family commitments around their work.

"In transport terms home working cuts out the commute, reduces congestion and carbon emissions. Hopefully other companies will follow the AA lead to put more workers on the superhighway rather than the actual highway now that the technology is much more affordable.

"We also encourage call centre staff to car share and our patrols are doing their bit to reduce stress and emissions with skills gained from eco driver training. Our fifty AA motorbike patrols have also taken the stress out of city centre breakdowns as they can beat the traffic."

Phil Flaxton, Workwise UK, said: "Many drivers underestimate stress levels caused by commuting in congestion. Commute Smart week aims to show commuters that there are better ways to get to work and reduce stress. Home working, car sharing or indeed walking can all help to improve your commute and your health."