RISING petrol prices are “making people think twice about office days” as commute costs go up, experts warn.
Petrol prices have skyrocketed in the past month and this has meant the daily commute to work is much more expensive.
Petrol is up to 148.78p a litre on average, according to the latest data released. This is the highest level since May 2024 and prices have risen over 12% since the start of the war a month ago.
Drivers have even reported seeing over £2 a litre at some pumps.
Diesel is now 176.52p a litre on average in the UK – the highest level since December 2022.
One HR expert warned that businesses need to apply common sense or risk losing employee goodwill as travel costs skyrocket.
People thinking twice
Kate Underwood, Founder at Southampton-based Kate Underwood HR and Training, said: “People will only swallow the cost of the commute for so long before they start asking what they’re actually coming in for. From what I’m seeing and the companies I work with, rising petrol prices are definitely making people think twice about office days. And honestly, who can blame them?
“If someone is spending more and more money just to do the same work that they could do from home, frustration kicks in pretty quickly. For small businesses, this is where a bit of common sense goes a long way. Most teams are not asking to never come in. They just want the office time to feel worth it.
“The businesses getting this right are the ones being flexible, listening properly, and focusing on output instead of presenteeism. The office still matters.
“But forcing people in just because ‘that’s how we’ve always done it’ is a fast way to lose goodwill. If you want people in, give them a business reason, not a power trip.”
Be smarter
Chris Meredith, CEO at ADAPT Workspace, agreed that while the office “still matters”, companies are being forced to “be smarter about it”.
He added: “Rising commute costs are definitely influencing behaviour, but they’re not killing the office – they’re forcing companies to be smarter about it, especially in London. What we’re seeing is a move away from blanket office mandates towards more intentional use.
“Teams are selecting their days themselves and coming in for the right reasons – for collaboration, culture and decision-making. That said, many companies have been able to dump ‘come to office’ mandates this year because most team members are already in-office 3-5 days a week again. London is particularly busy.
“At the same time in London, businesses are rethinking where their office is too. If it’s expensive and hard to get to, people will question the value of the commute.
“Thanks to the Elizabeth Line, we’re seeing a move towards better-connected, better-value locations across the city. The office still matters. But it has to earn the commute now.”
Presence and performance
Colette Mason, Author & AI Consultant at London-based Clever Clogs AI, said the maths of commuting to work in a car everyday have become stark.
She added: “Petrol prices don’t create a fresh work from home (WFH) question. They just expose which companies never decided whether commute cost savings belonged to the business or the employee.
“If a remote worker says ‘pay my £120 peak rate train fare’, attendance is suddenly less ‘mandatory’. Businesses demanding five-day office attendance aren’t doing it because it’s more productive.
“The evidence on that is pretty settled. They do it because presence got merged with performance somewhere in the 1990s and nobody officially uncoupled them. What rising fuel costs do is shift the negotiating table. Employees who were quietly absorbing the commute cost start doing the maths out loud.
“A £300-a-month commute that didn’t feel worth fighting over at £1.40 a litre becomes a whole new decision at £2 a litre. Five years of home working on personal, often unsecured machines has already happened.
“The fuller discussion on cybersecurity, personal and team productivity and work-life balance isn’t just needed, it’s overdue.”
Photo by Etienne Girardet on Unsplash.
