Getting my employer to become 'bike friendly'

[surgtech1956]

Any advice how I can lobby - approach my employer --- its a hospital to become bike friendly? We have a bike rack by the back door - rear entrance - close to the morgue entrance(yes). This is under surveillance and motorcyclist park back here too. Where do I start - suggesting more racks be put there - another area, etc...? Or is this adequate and should I be happy with this? So many of you have nice accommodations, storage areas at your employment. Here in Michigan gas prices jumped to $3.99 a gallon. I would appreciate any feedback. Thanks

[makbike]

Do they have a storage room you could put your bikes in if the weather is less than desirable? When I worked for the university I was given permission to keep my bike in a low traffic storage room. I currently keep my bike in the science storage room where I currently teach. It was and is a huge relief not having to worry about someone taking my bike or messing with it while I work.

[OakLeaf]

It really doesn't sound bad to me (sounds like a reasonably secure place to park), but if you want more bike racks and you want them "out front," I'd phrase it as a public health education question. Setting a good example for the patients, encouraging patients who are able and visitors to ride to the hospital, etc.

[malkin]

Does the hospital or their friendly affiliated health insurance companies have any wellness incentives? Check with the benefits person in HR; it might be a place to start.

[surgtech1956]

Yes, I think there is a wellness plan. Last July we went to a 'smoke-free' facility. Thanks for the ideas

[Tuckervill]

The first thing I would want to know is how would any changes be paid for? All those ideas above (HR, etc.) are great, but have a plan to raise the funds, or know where the funds can come from.

I know some corporations allow employees to "buy" the opportunity to wear jeans on Fridays, and all the money goes to a charity or some other good cause. Maybe there's something like that which can be done; something more hospital specific. Raffle off a bike or something like that. I think hospitals should be leading the way in such endeavors.

Karen

[malkin]

There's a storage room full of junk where I work, and if enough people start riding bikes, I'm going to lobby for it to be bike parking.

Actually, since I have access to the key, maybe I won't lobby.

[mimitabby]

the hardest part at my office wasn't convincing them to spend the money, it was finding space that someone didn't already "own"
you can see what i had built in the last pages of "show me your commuter" thread.

[gnat23]

I am so very lucky where I work. They save money by not building additional parking, so they readily take cycling suggestions.

- Covered/locked bike storage is awesome. As is a communal floor pump (lock or bolt that thing down, tho)
- Setting up a mailing list that cyclists can use to connect (anyone know a good route from... can someone lend me a... let's do a group-ride to here on...)
- Lockers and showers. Bonus points if they stock soap & shampoo.
- Arranging discounts at nearby bikeshops (at least for repairs if not bikes)
- Company branded bike shwag. Waterbottles are fun. Club t-shirts. Blinky lights and reflective stickers.
- Company teams at charity bike ride events

-- gnat! (about to become her company's bike-club president! eee!)

[PscyclePath]

Having just come off the big push for "Bike-to-Work Week" and a couple of workshops supporting that, here's some references that I've found useful... One of the best little handbooks I've found for working this at the employer end is from the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, with a lot of input from the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin:
http://www.sfbike.org/?employers
http://www.bfw.org/articles/bikecommuting.php

And BFW's "Parking For Free" employer's guide and case studies:
http://www.bfw.org/projects/commute.pdf

From the Bicycle Coalition of Maine:
http://www.bikemaine.org/btwemployer.htm

And from BikeIowa:
http://www.bikeiowa.com/asp/bike/EmployerGuide.asp

Lots of good stuff from the San Francisco Transportation Management Association:
http://www.sacramento-tma.org/Bicycling.htm

Some facts and figures from Commuter Connections:
http://www.mwcog.org/commuter/Bdy-bike10.html

And from RoadBikeRider.com, this is one of the best little handbooks that's currently out there... I've had a copy for awhile (and use it heavily in the LAB Commuting course), but they were giving it away last week at least...
http://www.roadbikerider.com/bc_excerpt.htm

We used the San Francisco handbook as a basic for a locally tailored employers guide for central Arkansas, and will continue to refine the package for use over the summer and in future BTW campaigns.

Hope this helps...

Tom
LCI #1853
Bicycle Advocacy of Central Arkansas
Education committee

[mimitabby]

I am so very lucky where I work. They save money by not building additional parking, so they readily take cycling suggestions.


-- gnat! (about to become her company's bike-club president! eee!)

Yes, that is one of the arguements you can use when talking to the facilities dept of your company; bicycles use less real estate than cars!


congrats, Gnat!