New Trips

Moving New Trips

By MARK RYLANDER

The Commute of Happiness

Commuting literally means “to transform.” In many ways, workers’ lives are shaped by their journeys to and from work, and their personalities are often transformed as well.

When we think of commuting, we tend to picture an individual moving daily between a suburb and the city, a phenomenon that boomed in the mid-twentieth century and remains the norm in much of the developed world. The landscape of commuting is more diverse today, as employees and employers seek healthier, more productive mobility options.

The root meaning of the word commute means to transform. We transform our home selves into our work selves and back again. Some commuters cherish their travel between home and work. For office workers it can represent the most physically stimulating part of the day. Some commuters enjoy the solitude commuting affords, while others enjoy time with friends, or coworkers. Increasingly, a commute expands the work day, since mobile devices provide a way to catch up on e-mail and calls.

Others dread their commute, especially rush-hour travel in cars. The stereotype of anxiety-laden hours stuck in traffic is a negative image of work as pervasive as the office cubicle. When there are no mobility options - or limited flexibility regarding work arrival and departure times - a commute can turn into a rut. When a late phone call and stalled train mean missing your daughter’s ballet recital, commuting can become the enemy. Commuting is evolving as cities and mobility options expand. Metropolitan areas like Washington, D.C., have grown and decentralized, developing corridors and suburban centers in addition to the old center. Such centers can shorten travel times to residential areas; it is not unusual now for commutes to occur between suburban hubs. Employers consider mobility as a key part of office location strategy, knowing that a new location affects employees’ quality of life — for better or for worse.

Forward-thinking employers address commuting as part of a holistic approach to integrating work life with personal life, helping employees reduce stress

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz recognized the value of “a third place between work and home.” As the nature of work changes, we can expect changes to urban design and mobility that improve the quality of life as well as the quality of work. Commuting, at its best, can be a third place on wheels. Howard Schultz left Starbucks for a short period of time to start his own Il Giornale coffeehouses and returned in August 1987 to purchase Starbucks with the help of local investors. From the beginning, Starbucks set out to be a different kind of company. One that not only celebrated coffee and the rich tradition, but a company that also brought a feeling of connection. Our mission to inspire and nurture the human spirit: one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time.

and save time outside the workplace. Larger organizations may provide amenities at the workplace such as daycare, groceries, and on-site fitness facilities. This is seen as a productivity strategy as well, since employees do not need to leave work early to run errands. Some employers allow flexibility in workday hours to make commuting easier, depending on how much face-to-face interaction is needed at the workplace for a particular employee.

The new field of mobility management promotes multi-modal transportation options and community-wide mobility networks. In some cities, a multi-modal commute involving some combination of cars, trains, subways, bicycles and walking may now may be part a worker’s daily routine. The mobility manager considers the range of individual commuting circumstances and participates in long-range planning for communities.

The location of home and work is not only question of lifestyle but also question of life stages. An employee raising children may relocate on the basis of schools and open space, while young, single employees enjoy the benefits of living in a city center and using mass transit. Lifestyle and life stage affect whether a commute is a sacrifice or a personal, quality-of-life decision.•

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Interface is the solo exhibition of Gionata Xerra where his work brings us back to the days of Man Ray: the images come from a "lucky" mistake in his studio, where two prints overlap. Initially, it was a random mistake, but it soon turned into an expressive language. The exhibition was conceived by Pierluigi Bernasconi, founder and CEO of Mediamarket. Nice link between people and technology. A trip daily commute. 01, 02, 03 Photo by Gionata Xerra

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