87% claim to be ”in better mood” since they started cycling to work

It has long said that cyclists tend to arrive at work in a better mood than those who have crawled their way through traffic or packed into a tight tube carriage, but new research with beginner cyclists seems to confirm the theory.

On today, Cycle to Work day, Cyclescheme has released data taken from a pool of 2,500 of its customers and 100 participating employers, which reveals that 87 per cent say they are generally in a better mood since they started cycling to work.

The research even goes as far to suggest there are links between cycling and career progression, with those taking in a blast of fresh air on the way to work tending to be more productive, more focussed and even stating that they were more likely to get promoted than their colleagues.

Two thirds of employees who have started cycling to work say they’ve been more productive since switching their transport method, while 64 per cent have become more creative and 77 per cent feel more focused in the office. Eight in ten have more energy and 82 per cent are less stressed.

The findings are supported by employers, who not only agree that the pedal pushers in their workforce are more energetic (66 per cent) and more productive (45 per cent), but over half also say their cyclist workers take fewer sick days than their colleagues.

Over one in ten employers even say they have retained staff more easily since encouraging cycling to work.

Charles Elvin CEO of the Institute of Leadership and Management, said: “This survey shows that people who cycle to work feel more alert, more productive and more energetic when they arrive at the office which is really great news for employers. Anything that makes your staff fitter and feel more motivated is a real win for managers so I hope that these results will encourage even more employers to introduce Cyclescheme and get their workforce moving.”

However, the benefits aren’t solely reserved for the office. The Cycle to Work Day research also reveals cycling can help with work life balance too. Almost nine in ten cyclists agree their daily commute helps them switch off from work, with over two thirds stating it puts them in a better mood for their family or partner in the evenings.

Over a third even agree cycling home from work has improved their sex life…