More employees cycling to work? Achieve success with this checklist

There are several schemes you can offer:

• Company bicycle
  • In this scheme, a bicycle is made available to the employee, which remains the property of the employer. This is subject to an additional tax liability; 7% of the recommended consumer price of the bicycle will be added to the employee’s income each year.
• Reimbursement via work-related expenses scheme
  • Under the work-related expenses scheme, an employer may pay an employee up to 1.2% of the wage bill as a tax-free allowance. This scheme is often used for, for example, a tax-free bicycle or company e-bike.
• Tax-free kilometre allowance
  • The bicycle kilometre allowance of € 0.19 per kilometre is tax-free. Your employee claim the kilometres which are then reimbursed by you.
  • Alternatively, you can provide an interest-free loan for the purchase of a bicycle. In that case, the employee pays off monthly by withholding the bicycle kilometre allowance.

Whatever your preference and whichever option you go for, ask your accountant to properly inform you about the financial options that best suit your situation. For more detailed information about the schemes, click here.

Provided you offer an attractive package to cyclists, you can count on more employees coming to the office by bicycle.Of course, you don’t have to organise everything at once, but setting up a number of facilities need not take much time. Use the following checklist:

• A safe, spacious, roofed bicycle shed

• Sufficient charging points for e-bikes
• The presence of repair material and bicycle pumps
• Changing area, hooks for clothes and showers
• Lockers for storing bicycle gear
• Every now and then a mobile bicycle repairman coming to the office

Many inspiring cases can be found on the Internet of large organisations that have massively invested in bicycle promotion. For example, take a look at www.kiesdefiets.nl.

Your employees don’t always want to cycle. Depending on the work, private circumstances or the weather, they will sometimes want to make other choices as well. Give your employees flexibility in mobility. For example, by making a XXImo Mobility Card available for public transport, a shared car or a shared e-bike. This is also great for car commuters who in fact want to cycle more for business appointments.

If you want to give the bicycle a prominent place in your mobility policy, you must communicate this. Indicate why you think cycling is important and what the benefits are. Pay particular attention to the measures you take to support cycling and the scheme and facilities you offer. In addition, appoint bicycle ambassadors, tell their story and set up campaigns to promote and reward cycling.