Royal Mail - Bikes2Work

Michael MacClancy ([email hidden]) wrote:
: Futuremedia plc to Launch 'Bikes2Work' With Royal Mail for 190,000 Eligible
: Employees
: Thursday April 28, 12:28 pm ET

: BRIGHTON, England, April 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Futuremedia plc
: (Nasdaq: FMDAY - News), a leading European e-learning content and benefits
: services provider, today announced it has signed an agreement with Royal
: Mail Group plc, the UK's postal authority, to make bicycles available to
: all of Royal Mail Group plc's 190,000 eligible employees under the UK
: government's expanded Green Travel Plan program.

: More:

: http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050428/nyth178.html?.v=4

Am I missing something? Why for four weeks only? What good is that
supposed to do? Most Royal Mail employees will probably take two weeks to
even develop the intention to cycle-commute, and then we are not even
speaking of figuring out the route. What about showers/opportunities to
change clothes at work?

Then rented bicycles ... how many people who have not been riding
bicycles for a long time will end up with an ill-fitted bicycle, with a
gear system they don't like, with a saddle that is quite literally a pain
in the a**?

While this is certainly a good signal, it seems that this may well
backfire, and that it totally lacks any long-term plans.

Anyone have thoughts about what I may be missing here?

Marianne

Marianne Promberger said:

Am I missing something? Why for four weeks only? What good is that
supposed to do? Most Royal Mail employees will probably take two
weeks to even develop the intention to cycle-commute, and then we are
not even speaking of figuring out the route. What about
showers/opportunities to change clothes at work?

Then rented bicycles ... how many people who have not been riding
bicycles for a long time will end up with an ill-fitted bicycle, with
a gear system they don't like, with a saddle that is quite literally
a pain in the a**?

While this is certainly a good signal, it seems that this may well
backfire, and that it totally lacks any long-term plans.

Anyone have thoughts about what I may be missing here?

You assume that this sort of press release is intended to provide a benefit
to the employees.

It isn't - it's intended only to give good press coverage to the two
companies involved, and make you think that they are all touchy-feely and
nice. It will get them coverage in the papers, then be forgotten - probably
long before the four weeks is up, but it will have done its job. Actual
take-up of the offer will be quite low, because they don't want it to be too
popular with the staff; otherwise they'll end up having to provide parking,
showers etc.

Pete.