Long commute has major impact on well-being, says study

Workers who commute for more than two hours a day are more at risk for stress and fatigue than those whose commute takes less time, according to a study by the Innovation & Work Foundation. The study is based on data provided by the Flemish Workability Monitor of 2013.

The researchers found that some 67% of workers who live in Flanders spend less than one hour a day commuting. About 10% commute for two hours a day or more, particularly those in highly skilled positions. About one in five employees with a diploma in higher education commutes more than two hours a day, while this accounts for less than one in 10 of employees without such a degree.

The researchers found that a long commute has a negative influence on daily functions and on well-being in general. Some 18% of the long commuters experience difficulties maintaining a work-life balance, which is double as many as those commuting less than one hour a day.

The workers with a lengthy commute also report feeling more stress at work – 38% of them compared to 27% of those with easier commutes. As a consequence, those with long commutes are absent from work more often. Nearly 13% of those with long commutes regularly consider changing jobs.

The study, however, pointed out that working conditions and specific tasks have much more impact on well-being than the commute.

Photo courtesy Tistje