Publications

January 2021
Article

Commuting and Innovation: Are Closer Inventors More Productive?

By: Hongyu Xiao, Andy Wu and Jaeho Kim

We estimate the causal effect of workplace–home commuting distance on inventor productivity. We construct a novel panel of U.S. inventors with precisely measured workplace–home distances and inventor-level productivity. Our identification strategy exploits firm office... View Details

Keywords: Commuting; Proximity; Inventors; Innovation; Relocation; Telecommuting; Geographic Location; Technological Innovation; Innovation and Management; Innovation Strategy; United States

January–February 2021
Article

Between Home and Work: Commuting as an Opportunity for Role Transitions

By: Jon M. Jachimowicz, Julia Lee Cunningham, Bradley Staats, Francesca Gino and Jochen I. Menges

Across the globe, every workday people commute an average of 38 minutes each way, yet surprisingly little research has examined the implications of this daily routine for work-related outcomes. Integrating theories of boundary work, self-control, and work-family... View Details

Keywords: Commuting; Boundary Work; Self-control; Work-family Conflict; Prospection; Transition

Article

What We Can Learn from Five Naturalistic Field Experiments that Failed to Shift Commuter Behaviour

By: Ariella S. Kristal and A.V. Whillans

Across five field experiments with employees of a large organization (n = 68,915), we examined whether standard behavioural interventions (“nudges”) successfully reduced single-occupancy vehicle commutes. In Studies 1 and 2, we sent letters and emails with nudges... View Details

Keywords: Commuting; Field Experiments; Nudges; Behavior; Change

02 Feb 2016
Working Paper Summaries

Commuting with a Plan: How Goal-Directed Prospection Can Offset the Strain of Commuting

Keywords: by Jon M. Jachimowicz, Julia J. Lee, Bradley R. Staats, Jochen I. Menges, Francesca Gino

Article

Multitasking While Driving: A Time Use Study of Commuting Knowledge Workers to Assess Current and Future Uses

By: Thomaz Teodorovicz, Andrew L. Kun, Raffaella Sadun and Orit Shaer

Commuting has enormous impact on individuals, families, organizations, and society. Advances in vehicle automation may help workers employ the time spent commuting in productive work-tasks or wellbeing activities. To achieve this goal, however, we need to develop a... View Details

Keywords: In-vehicle User Interfaces; Time-use Study; Automated Vehicles; Knowledge Workers; Commuting

Article

Where Did the Commute Time Go?

By: Andrew Kun, Raffaella Sadun, Orit Shaer and Thomaz Teodorovicz

The COVID pandemic forced most workers to stop their daily commute to and from work. So what have they done with that “extra” time? It depends. Independent employees with no managerial responsibility have largely been able to spend more time on personal pursuits, but... View Details

Keywords: Telecommuting; Time Management; Work-Life Balance

December 24, 2019
Editorial

Why It’s So Hard to Change People’s Commuting Behavior

By: Ariella Kristal and Ashley Whillans

Car commuters report higher levels of stress and lower job satisfaction compared to train commuters—in large part because car commuting can involve driving in traffic and navigating tense road situations. Some employers are trying to get involved and reduce car... View Details

Keywords: Satisfaction; Behavior; Employees

March – April 1975
Article

Personal Privacy versus the Corporate Commuter

By: K. Goldstein and R. L. Nolan

18 Mar 2019
Research & Ideas

Stuck in Commuter Hell? You Can Still Be Productive

Workers commute an average 38 minutes each way between home and work—a trip that can feel like a dreadful chore before the workday even begins. In fact, long commutes lower job satisfaction and increase... View Details

Keywords: by Dina Gerdeman

14 Jul 2022
Research & Ideas

When the Rubber Meets the Road, Most Commuters Text and Email While Driving

A majority of commuters admit to multitasking on the road, including texting and reading emails, according to new research that reveals the widespread extent of distracted driving. About 87 percent of View Details

Keywords: by Jay Fitzgerald

Article

Reclaim Your Commute: Getting To and From Work Doesn't Have to be Soul Crushing

By: Francesca Gino, Bradley Staats, Jon M. Jachimowicz, Julia J. Lee and Jochen I. Menges

Every day, millions of people around the world face long commutes to work. In the United States alone, approximately 25 million workers spend more than 90 minutes each day getting to and from their jobs. And yet few people enjoy their commutes. This distaste for... View Details

Keywords: Commuting; Welfare; Attitudes; Satisfaction; Performance Productivity

30 Mar 2021
Research & Ideas

Commuting Hurts Productivity and Your Best Talent Suffers Most

Many of us have been there: mired in rush-hour traffic, listening to music or news to take our minds off the grind, wishing we didn’t feel so stressed before we’ve even reached the office. A late-night conversation with a fellow researcher about the hassle of View Details

Keywords: by Lane Lambert

2021
Article

Nudging the Commute: Using Behaviorally-Informed Interventions to Promote Sustainable Transportation

By: Ashley Whillans, Joseph Sherlock, Jessica Roberts, Shibeal O'Flaherty, Lyndsay Gavin, Holly Dykstra and Michael Daly

Dramatic reductions in carbon emissions must take place immediately. A human-centric method of reducing environmental impacts is to “nudge” employees away from single-occupancy vehicles (SOVs) toward more sustainable commuting options. While an abundance of research... View Details

Keywords: Behavioral Science; Transportation Demand Management; Commuting; Single-occupancy Vehicle Commutes; Transportation; Behavior; Change; Environmental Sustainability

January 2022
Supplement

Innovation at Uber: The Launch of Express POOL Assignment: Comparing Commuting and Non-Commuting Hours

By: Chiara Farronato and Caleb Kwon

January 2022
Teaching Note

Innovation at Uber: The Launch of Express POOL Assignment Solutions: Comparing Commuting and Non-Commuting Hours

By: Chiara Farronato and Caleb Kwon

26 Jan 2016
First Look

January 26, 2016

resulted from focusing on securing the preferences of active voters. Download working paper: https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=50427 Commuting with a Plan: How Goal-Directed Prospection Can Offset the Strain of View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

31 May 2023
Research & Ideas

With Predictive Analytics, Companies Can Tap the Ultimate Opportunity: Customers’ Routines

the service Monday through Friday morning, or “the weekenders,” who mainly use Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday all day. With that information, the authors could then figure out who likely booked a ride as part of a weekday commuting... View Details

Keywords: by Rachel Layne; Transportation

November 2022
Article

Shared Electric Scooters and Electric Bikes Can Reduce Traffic in Urban Centres

By: Omar Isaac Asensio

Evidence from a policy experiment shows that public safety bans on electric scooters and electric bikes can generate unintended traffic congestion in city centres. The studied ban is found to increase travel times by 9–11% for daily evening commutes and by 37%... View Details