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Case Study: Assessing The COVID-19 Pandemic’s Potential for a More Climate-Friendly Work-Related Mobility

Author

Listed:
  • Dennis Wilke

    (Institute of Geography, University of Osnabrück, Seminarstr. 19a/b, 49074 Osnabrück, Germany)

  • Henriette Rau

    (Institute of Geography and Geology, University of Greifswald, Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahnstraße 16, 17489 Greifswald, Germany)

  • Joachim W. Härtling

    (Institute of Geography, University of Osnabrück, Seminarstr. 19a/b, 49074 Osnabrück, Germany)

Abstract

The switch from working in-office to working from home in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on people’s mobility behavior. In view of the need for action arising from the ongoing challenge of climate change, these changes should be seen as an opportunity to reduce emissions in the traffic sector. The aim of this study was to analyze changes in work-related mobility that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic using the case of a multinational medium-sized retail chain situated in semi-rural Germany. The case study allowed us to examine those changes in connection with individual attitudes and perspectives of the company and its employees. Thus, we quantitatively recorded the mobility behavior of the company’s employees, followed by an expert interview to ascertain the company’s perspective. We found a reduction in the frequency of commuting and business trips made by employees, which seemed to continue beyond the COVID-19 crisis. However, according to our findings these changes were not based on individual motivation to act in a climate-aware manner but are subject to the framework conditions created by employers for the adoption of climate-friendly behavior. The results of this work could be used by companies and policymakers to create such favorable framework conditions.

Suggested Citation

  • Dennis Wilke & Henriette Rau & Joachim W. Härtling, 2022. "Case Study: Assessing The COVID-19 Pandemic’s Potential for a More Climate-Friendly Work-Related Mobility," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-17, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:19:p:12708-:d:934773
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kunze, Florian & Hampel, Kilian & Zimmermann, Sophia, 2020. "Homeoffice in der Corona-Krise – eine nachhaltige Transformation der Arbeitswelt? [Working from home in the Coronavirus crisis: Towards a transformation of work environments?]," Policy Papers 02 (DE), University of Konstanz, Cluster of Excellence "The Politics of Inequality. Perceptions, Participation and Policies".
    2. Jean-Victor Alipour & Oliver Falck & Simone Schüller, 2020. "Working from Home during the Pandemic and the Post-Crisis Implications," ifo Schnelldienst, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 73(07), pages 30-36, July.
    3. Páez, Antonio & Scott, Darren M. & Morency, Catherine, 2012. "Measuring accessibility: positive and normative implementations of various accessibility indicators," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 25(C), pages 141-153.
    4. Banister, David, 2008. "The sustainable mobility paradigm," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 15(2), pages 73-80, March.
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