Workers say employers should pay for their commute if they want them back in the office [Video]

If you’re an employer trying to lure your workers back to the office, perks like ping pong tables, free snacks, and trendy decor are unlikely to make a difference. Instead, consider a more practical benefit: Cover their commuting costs.

Some 8 out of 10 employees say they’d be more willing to return to the office if their employer paid for their commute, according to a survey that Ringover, a staffing and sales platform, conducted of 1,038 workers. Ringover surveyed remote workers (or those who were remote until recently) about what it would take for them to be down to return to the office.

Workers spent an average of $8,466 annually, or about $700 a month, on commuting to the office, accounting for gas, car maintenance, the income lost due to commuting, car insurance, and more, according to a 2023 survey from Bankrate. That’s a drastic surge from 2019, when the average annual commute costvaried from a low of $2,000 in …