Frustrated Commuters Willing to Trade Pay Cuts for Shorter Drive Times, CareerBuilder Poll Finds
CareerBuilder Provides Tips for Getting Off on the Right Foot
RESTON, Va., July 31 /PRNewswire/ -- For many U.S. workers, the road to
work begins and ends with an automobile commute -- a path that's often
littered with potholes, traffic jams and high levels of stress and anxiety.
Nearly half of the workers describe their commutes as unsatisfying and 36
percent say they'd be willing to take a pay cut -- of 10 percent or more -- in
return for a shorter commute, according to a new CareerBuilder poll of more
than 2,000 respondents.
"For most of us, the trip to and from work is a means to an end," said
Diane Strahan, a career expert and vice president of marketing with
CareerBuilder. "But our daily commutes -- whether pleasant or aggravating --
set the tone for the rest of our work days and our moods when we return home.
Workers and employers, alike, need to give more thought to their daily commute
strategies and the impact that commuting stress may have on their lives."
Stressful Commute Times
A third of workers surveyed describe their commutes as stressful. While
most workers report that their commutes to work are 30-to-59 minutes long, 35
percent say they have trips between work and home of more than one hour.
Eighty-one percent use a personal motor vehicle versus other means of public
transportation.
"Today's commuting dilemma remains a complex issue for both workers and
employers," Strahan said. "Employers are reaching further and further out for
talent, meaning that many workers are adding two hours to their workday as a
result of their commute. This is yet another challenge -- for both parties --
to come up with commuting strategies that strike a balance between work and
life issues."
Commuter Career Tips
Strahan urges automobile commuters to make safe, but productive use of drive time:
* Complete cell phone calls in the driveway or parking lot.
* Designate drive time as creative thinking time.
* Negotiate for commute-friendly hours.
* Relax and seize the opportunity for solitude and work-life transitioning.
The CareerBuilder commuter poll was conducted during June 2001. A total
of 2,309 respondents participated in the poll that was published in Career
News, CareerBuilder's monthly e-mail newsletter that is sent to more than one
million career-minded professionals each month.
About CareerBuilder, LLC
CareerBuilder, backed by media giants Tribune Company (NYSE: TRB) and
Knight Ridder (NYSE: KRI), is the leading provider of targeted Web recruiting.
Through the CareerBuilder Network, employers can post jobs to pinpoint exactly
the right candidates by location, industry or diversity. Job seekers can
instantly search more than 70 of the Internet's best career sites, in just a
couple of clicks. CareerBuilder also provides personalized career services
and advice. The CareerBuilder Network is the most powerful career network on
the Web, including careerbuilder.com -- the flagship career center -- and the
career centers of premier destination sites including MSN, Bloomberg.com, USA
TODAY.com, iVillage.com and latimes.com, Philly.com, chicagotribune.com and
BayArea.com. Visit CareerBuilder at http://www.careerbuilder.com.
CareerBuilder Media Contact
For all media inquiries and interview requests, contact:
Jennifer Grasz
(P) 773-527-1164
(E) jennifer.grasz@careerbuilder.com
