Health effects from bicycle commuting to work: Insights from participants of the German company-bicycle leasing program

Introduction: Company-bicycle leasing programs aim to promote employees' health via the advancement of cycling to work. To date, however, empirical evidence for the effects of participation in such programs is weak. This is also true for the German program. The present study aims to assess the relationship between the five perceived innovation characteristics proposed by the Diffusion of Innovations Theory and the company-leasing bicycle commuting behavior of German employees as well as their physical and mental wellbeing. Furthermore, the study aims to find out whether the innovation characteristics relate to changes in commuting behavior, and whether these changes have a positive effect on employees’ physical and mental wellbeing. Methods: Perceived innovation characteristics, physical activity, and health levels of 462 employees from 62 companies were assessed in a two-wave longitudinal study. The second wave took place 40 days after the first wave. Path analyses were used for hypotheses testing. Results: The results showed that compatibility (but not relative advantage, low complexity, trialability, and observability) measured in the first wave had a positive impact on cycling to work (in minutes cycled per day), which in turn increased physical and mental wellbeing (all three variables were self-reports that were measured in the second wave). There were no significant relationships using change scores for both the mediator and the health outcomes. Conclusions: The findings indicate that the use of company leasing bicycles relates positively with physical and mental wellbeing. Compatibility is a significant determinant of active commuting, suggesting that company executives should endorse the perception that they share important values, lifestyles, and needs with employees. Changes in active commuting, however, did not increase health, most likely due to the short time scale under consideration. The findings help policy makers identify individual- and organization-level factors that relate to active commuting and health.