Don't let bad technology hurt your Cycle to Work uptake

Once seen as a niche, Cycle to Work schemes are offered by 53,500 employers and used by 500,000 employees across the UK. And, while I’m writing this, our Cycle to Work scheme has saved employees £11,276,704 – directly saving employers £5,187,284. Whilst these numbers are impressive, it’s important to add the right Cycle to Work scheme to improve your Employee Value Proposition (EVP).

Anything less than right for your business can do more harm than good. As an example, let’s take a look at some do's and don’ts when introducing a Cycle to Work scheme to your workforce.

Don’t … forget user experience

It seems obvious. When a product is easy to use then people are much more likely to use it. And it still baffles me when companies create products which are clunky and difficult to use, especially products designed to benefit employees of all levels of technical understanding.

An unfortunate by-product of poor user experience is the way employees can associate it back to their employer. 

If it doesn’t work well for them, they’ll wonder how much is being spent on it and feel frustrated that their company is wasting money on it. I go for a three-step rule. If a Cycle to Work scheme takes more than three steps to apply for then it’s not going to see great engagement. We’ve designed ours to be accessible at any time and on any device, and following three simple steps:

1. Your pay

2. Your savings

3. Your details

Each with minimal input required from your employee.

Do… find a Cycle to Work product with national reach

Imagine putting a Cycle to Work scheme in place to find it only covers London – and the majority of your workforce is in Manchester. It sounds unbelievable, yet I’ve seen this happen. The response from their employees was not one of love, that’s for sure.

Employees have access to 465 Halfords stores, 860+ local independent retailers, Cycle Republic and Tredz.co.uk to maximise savings.

Plus, we’ve added an online option via tredz.co.uk. Having a national reach is important because it gives you the flexibility and confidence that no matter where your employees’ find themselves, they’ll be able to get a bike, equipment, or both through Cycle to Work technology. It’s the perfect way to engage your entire workforce without having to compromise and upsetting the smaller percentage who lose out.

Do … shout about added extras

OK, so this is more of a bonus then a do or don’t, but being able to give your employees added extras when they apply for a Cycle to Work scheme is a great way to build traction. Saving up to 42% on the cost of a new bike, equipment, or both is already a fairly big draw for employees and giving them something extra can be the push some need, helping further stretch employees’ disposable income.

We recognise that finding the budget for added extras is not always easy. That’s why our Cycle to Work scheme already has them included. We have a variety of additional benefits, such as a 12 months' free Cycle Care on all bikes available through the Halford's Group, 20% off of cycle parts and accessories, and an extra family discount voucher on applicable items. 

Introducing Cycle to Work to your employees can be the perfect way to boost your overall EVP and stand out as an amazing place to work.

Interested in a Cycle to Work scheme? Get in touch with us today.