End of trip facilities are now a standard expectation for offices and workplaces across Australia, and around the world. Over the last ten or so years these facilities have become more and more popular, improving efficient use of space and ease of use for building tenants and occupiers.
End of trip facilities are also being mandated in some regions; for example, in Queensland, as part of building codes in designated areas, all new office buildings or new additions to major developments must have end of trip facilities.
Additionally, many organisations have replaced a larger focus on the environment and finding ways to reduce their emissions, and have found that well-designed end of trip facilities support people to change their habits and make a positive contribution by reducing the number of cars on our roads and encouraging healthier habits.
But how has COVID-19 affected the popularity of end of trip facilities? This article discusses the impact on the popularity of incorporating end of trip facilities COVID-19 has had and what the future may hold for end of trip facility demand.
Related Reading: End of trip facilities, what are they and why are they in increasing demand?
COVID-19’s impact on our health and wellbeing
Aside from the obvious impacts that COVID-19 has had on our health (hand sanitiser, anyone?), there have been some positive impacts as well. A study by the University of Sydney has found that 62% of adults thought that being active is more important now than pre-COVID-19. This is backed up by data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s report on the direct and indirect health effects of COVID-19, which says that around 20 per cent of Australians have increased their physical activity during the pandemic.
With increased focus on our health and wellbeing, many people are looking for ways to increase their fitness and continue with healthier habits they may have developed during lockdown.
Ride to work or work from home?
One of the most positive things to come out of the horrific impacts of COVID-19 across the world, is that it has encouraged most workplaces to embrace more flexible working conditions. In fact, Tech analyst Gartner has found nearly a quarter of companies plan to shift at least 20% of their on-site employees to permanent remote positions as a direct result of COVID-19.
This has been a welcome relief for many people around the world, particularly working parents who may have struggled with previously rigid working hours. But with less people coming into the office every day, has the demand for end of trip facilities in office buildings reduced?
Public VS private transport
Public transport use has decreased substantially, thanks to the impact of COVID-19. This can partly be attributed to factors mentioned already with more and more people working from home, but can also be attributed to people’s hesitancy to bing enclosed with large groups of other people, something that we have now learned to be wary of.
According to data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the amount of people using public transport has nearly halved in a year, with 14% of those surveys using public transport in March 2021, compared with 23% who reported regular use before COVID-19 restrictions began in March 2020.
Additionally, in Melbourne specifically, the Monash Public Transport Research Group surveyed 2000 people from outer, middle and inner suburbs about how they travelled to work before and after COVID-19, with the survey finding that public transport usage will drop by 20%, with bike commuting being predicted to increase by 55% on pre-COVID-19 levels. This shows that while there may be less people in offices across Australia, the demand for end of trip facilities is only going to increase in a post-COVID-19 world.
How to benefit from an increasing demand for end of trip facilities
End of trip facilities have become an in-demand feature in residential buildings, offices and workplaces around Australia, and their popularity shows no sign of stopping post COVID-19.
If you are interested in improving your building of office facilities with well-designed end of trip facilities, then your first step should be speaking to the experienced team at Five at Heart.
For nearly 15 years, Five At Heart has been transforming businesses and workplaces around the world by designing, manufacturing, and installing cutting-edge end of trip facilities, change room amenities, bike parking, and office spaces.
You can get in touch with the Five at Heart team here or give us a call on 1300 769 332 to get started on your way to improving your business facilities.
