The search for gas savings continues

Published on June 3, 2008 By CharlesCS In Current Events

So the big issue on everyone’s mind is gas prices. Like the odometer in a car, gas prices go up and up and up as if it were made of helium and don’t seem to be coming down any time soon. Because of this, as many on this site have blogged about on many great articles, people find themselves mostly cutting back on any kind of unnecessary travel time. Anything from public transportation to bike riding to carpooling is becoming popular and more common. Sales of gas economical cars are rising and trade-ins of SUVs as well though stories of dealers offering much less for an SUV than its worth due to the difficulty to resell the vehicles are becoming more and more common.

Well, this morning on my way to work I was listening to the local morning news and the hosts of the show spoke about how some people are beginning to complain to their companies how it’s become very costly for them to go to work due to the gas prices and some companies are considering ideas to help their employees cope with the high gas prices but changing the way the employees do their work. So here is what I want to ask you great readers about what you think about some solutions some companies are taking. It will be a 2 part question looking for responses from 2 different points of views or perspectives.

OK, here we go. Looking at it from an employer’s point of view or perspective, according to the story, would you be willing or able to:

A) arrange work schedules so that employees could work 4 days/10 hour shifts? Obviously the arrangement would allow to always have a certain amount of employees everyday 5 or 7 days a week, depending on you business workdays and the necessary people to run the business while still working only 4 days a week.

allow employees to work from home 1 day a week if the work could be done remotely.

Now, looking at it from an employee’s point of view or perspective, would you be willing or able to:

A) work 4 day/10 hour shifts? This would depend on employees who have children is after school activities that close before the 10 hour shift. Arrangements would need to be made to be able to work this out.

work from home 1 day a week if your job could be done remotely? Of course the employee would need to make sure to produce enough work to justify staying home considering not having someone supervising them at every second.

So what do you fellow readers think? As an employer and an employee, let me know if you think this is a good way to save a few bucks on gas for you or your employees while still keeping the business going. Could this truly be cost effective? Would this be worth the time and changes for the company? Or the employee’s after work schedule? What say you?

Comments

Dr Guy

on Jun 04, 2008

Telecommuting is the best way to go - for those who can be so disciplined. Telecommuting is not easy as it requires the person to actually be an independant worker. And not many are.

Changing the workweek to 4x10 is great where possible. However it does nothing for the small employers or the shops that must be manned during business hours.

Both are good ideas, and where possible should be implemented. Unfortunately, the number of areas where that is possible is not as large as some would like to think.

CharlesCS

on Jun 04, 2008

Telecommunication is a definite must. I personally wouldnt mind working from home 1 day a week and working 4X10 days.

Where ever it can be possible should be done, even if not many.

Moderateman

on Jun 09, 2008

Colleen has arranged it so its a four day work week for her employees. Since their work week is 37 1/2 hours it works well for everyone saves gas and to the employees its like having a holiday every week.

TaBoo Tenente

on Jun 11, 2008

OK, here we go. Looking at it from an employer’s point of view or perspective, according to the story, would you be willing or able to:

A) arrange work schedules so that employees could work 4 days/10 hour shifts? Obviously the arrangement would allow to always have a certain amount of employees everyday 5 or 7 days a week, depending on you business workdays and the necessary people to run the business while still working only 4 days a week.

as an employee, i certainly wouldn't mind. however, a lot of businesses need workers throughout the business week. if i were a customer and i needed something done on friday, i would get grumpy if there weren't staff members at the store to deal with me.

allow employees to work from home 1 day a week if the work could be done remotely.

i think more and more employers will choose this option as electronic business options become more comprehensive, dependable and cost-efficient. employers could reduce rent/utility overhead significantly, so long as their businesses don't require open store fronts.

taboo

Sodaiho

on Jun 11, 2008

Thanks Charles.

Frankly, I think a lot can be done by 1.) slowing down; 2.) not tromping on the gas pedal when starting; 3.) coasting to stop lights when feasable; 4.) driving small cars or scooters; 5.) bicycling; 6.) making living spaces, like cities, more homogenous in terms of work and living spaces so commutes are not as long or can be done by riding bikes or walking; 7.) choosing to live close to work (or in retiree's cases < like my own > close to facilities used most often. I live less than a quarter of a mile from my Temple and 2 miles from the grocery store and mall bookstore. Most of my friends are within a three mile radius.

Perhaps this gas crisis is a good thing. We humans are nothing if not adaptable. Adaptation is often a great cause of change, usually I suspect, for the better.

See ya!

CharlesCS

on Jun 11, 2008

That sounds awesome. Wish I had it that way.

CharlesCS

on Jun 11, 2008

Well keep in mind I did say to have the business open 5 or 7 days a week. That would mean to somehow shift around the days the employees get off so you always have enough people on any given business day, every business day.

Take for example my wifes job. She doesn't work Monday to Friday like most businesses. Because they require people to work on Saturdays as well, she gets Thursdays off, all her other coworkers get different days of the week off, that way they always have enough people during Monday thru Friday and have them also come in on Saturday without exceeding the 40 hours per week. Unless there's overtime but thats different.

I actually like this idea. If we could get past the notion that people will abuse this day of working from home just to get paid while being home and not truly getting a lot done, then maybe this could be a very positive way of saving gas and many other things.

CharlesCS

on Jun 11, 2008

Thanks Charles.

Frankly, I think a lot can be done by 1.) slowing down; 2.) not tromping on the gas pedal when starting; 3.) coasting to stop lights when feasable; 4.) driving small cars or scooters; 5.) bicycling; 6.) making living spaces, like cities, more homogenous in terms of work and living spaces so commutes are not as long or can be done by riding bikes or walking; 7.) choosing to live close to work (or in retiree's cases < like my own > close to facilities used most often. I live less than a quarter of a mile from my Temple and 2 miles from the grocery store and mall bookstore. Most of my friends are within a three mile radius.

Perhaps this gas crisis is a good thing. We humans are nothing if not adaptable. Adaptation is often a great cause of change, usually I suspect, for the better.

You make some great points. If people actually took the time to do a lot of those things gas savings would definitely be greater. heck, throw in doing regular car maintenance that can keep the car at peak efficiency is another way to save on gas. Things like oil changes done at the right time, checking air pressure, changing spark plugs and even making sure the cur does not have something causing drag can make huge differences.

CharlesCS

on Jun 11, 2008

I'll elaborate a bit more later Sodaiho. Have to take care of something.

CharlesCS

on Jun 11, 2008

Double post. sry.

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