More Zoom and Less Traffic Jams? It’s Possible.
Now that the roads in the Netherlands are rapidly clogging up again, the call for more remote work is growing louder. What is it about our country that makes it so difficult for us to accept that the office can also be visited outside of rush hours? And that we can also leave for home before traffic builds up? No problem, right? Or is it employers who, out of a need for control, insist on having their employees in the office at all costs? If anyone knows the answer, they’re welcome to share.
The fact remains that within a month of the COVID restrictions being lifted, Dutch roads have turned into a chaotic mess. Traffic jams as long as a drive from Maastricht to Munich seem to have become the norm rather than the exception. But how do we solve this multi-billion-euro problem of congestion? That’s the big question. And is it even solvable? In short, these are the questions that experts are now urgently trying to answer.
Solution
Since I am neither a traffic expert nor a congestion specialist, I’ll try using some logical thinking. The reality is that remote work isn’t ideal for everyone. Think of a busy household with limited space, where working from home is far from convenient. But the same applies to pointlessly sitting in traffic, inching forward to get to the office.
In my opinion, the term hybrid work is slowly becoming a trend. As if we didn’t already know ten years ago that partial remote work might be the key to reducing traffic jams. After all, traffic congestion existed back then too.
Trust
That remote work reduces traffic jams is something we have known for a long time. The issue is that we struggle to change—and don’t really want to. At least, that’s how it seems. We Dutch like to decide for ourselves what we do and how we do it. If we prefer sitting in a meeting room at 9:00 AM, we simply get in the car.
Or maybe it’s just that some bosses prefer seeing their employees around them rather than on 30 little video screens in Zoom. I think it largely comes down to habit on the part of employees and trust from management toward remote work.
Vice Versa
I read that just 8% more remote work during peak hours could reduce traffic congestion by 50%. Wow.
So why do we all keep jumping into our cars? Who knows. It seems like the government would have to enforce it with regulations before we can curb our addiction to driving during rush hours.
Of course, not all professions allow for remote work, but office jobs can certainly be done hybrid, right? What’s wrong with starting your first meeting via Zoom or Teams from home—just logging in with your own cup of coffee and doing exactly what you would in a meeting room? Then, after rush hour, heading to the office to meet colleagues in person?
The same applies for the way back. Plan your last meeting from home instead of battling traffic again. That is, if you actually have a quiet place to work.
It might take some getting used to, but if Zoom or Teams can help reduce traffic congestion for those who truly need to be on the road, then both employers and employees have a social responsibility to contribute.
Reduction
Some multinational companies have already structured remote work so that only 60% of employees have an office space available at any given time. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
Changing work routines and schedules is a long-term process. It requires thinking differently and, above all, flexibility from both employers and employees.
And we should be able to make this shift without needing a government mandate forcing us to work remotely due to COVID. Plus, it helps with CO₂ reduction as well.
So, use your Zoom application and work from home until the traffic jams clear. Then, decide whether it actually adds value to still head to the office.
If your work output is well-organized, everyone should be able to make the right decision for themselves.
This way, Zoom can play a role in reducing traffic congestion during peak hours—especially for jobs that are well-suited to hybrid work.
Truck drivers and others who must be on the road will thank you for it.
So, Zoom away during the hours when all of the Netherlands wants to jump in the car. 🚗💨
