People who use bicycles especially for the daily commute to and from the workplace, demonstrably invests in their health and well-being. Riding to work can be wonderful and fun. Not only is it better for our Planet, but also for people’s health, both mental and physical.
Spring is the most beautiful time in Tokyo. Commute by bike during this difficult time isn’t a bad idea, especially knowing the fact, that near Mujin office there is a huge park which looks like a pink/white world, with petals gently gliding toward the earth draped across the grass like snowflakes, and you ride your bike through the scents and sounds of nature. That moment makes my morning, honestly.
One more point to be mentioned here is that Tokyo’s train and subway system is famous for taking you everywhere safely, it’s cleanest and most efficient public transport systems in the world. But during the rush hour it becomes crowded.
As you may not know, the majority of businesses in Japan do not allow employees to commute by private transport e.g. car or bicycle. Instead, employees are only allowed to commute by public transport (which Mujin reimburses). Employers prevent their employees from cycling to work to protect themselves from financial liability if an accident occurs while commuting. The Mujin bicycle commuting program is a rarity in Japan, and we, Mujin employees, are happy to have this opportunity.
When we moved our headquarters to Tatsumi in 2019, one of our key points was improving the quality of work and wellbeing. The office has a gym, ping pong, healthy lunch and many other great benefits for employees. Bicycle commuting was made available to all employees living within 10 km of the office. Some employees said that bicycles are even faster than public transport.
When Mujin decided to establish the bicycle commuting program, we invited a professional to explain to employees the bicycle insurance necessity, safety situation and cycling rules. Employees were notified that bicycle insurance has to be carried by everyone who cycles regardless of commuting to the office. Bicycle insurance became an obligation for all cyclists in Tokyo from April 1st, 2020. For Mujin employees who didn’t have liability insurance, we asked the insurance company representative to come to the office and talk about it. After this meeting employees directly applied for the insurance, which was very helpful especially for foreigner people who don’t speak Japanese. Mujin gave an opportunity to our employees to commute to Tatsumi office by bicycle and designed a space for bicycle parking which is free for Mujin employees.
Mujin cares about employees’ safety first and encourages employees to attend a safety training done by a professional. We have some booklets describing cycling rules in Japan and also discussed the importance of wearing a helmet while cycling.
Cycling to work benefits employees, employers, the environment and even the economy. Let’s follow the laws, safety procedures, and company policies so we can continue the enjoyment of riding our bicycles!
