Is distance from work a reason to change jobs? What is our movement behavior for each province? | My guide

Belgians spend an average of 50 minutes a day commuting. The average distance traveled is 40 km, which is 20 km one way. This is what the annual survey conducted by the human resources services company SD Worx among 1,000 Belgian workers tells us.

According to the survey, most employees work in their home province. Those living in East Flanders make the longest commute to work on average. In 2023, East Flemish people spend an average of 59 minutes on the journey from the front door to the office, and back. Moreover, the residents of Walloon and Flemish Brabant are also in the top three in terms of passengers.

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“The population of Walloon Brabant is the most geographically mobile: only 46 percent work in the same province and 40 percent work in Brussels,” says Caitlin Jacobs, Legal Advisory Business Manager at SD Worx. “Flemish Brabant residents are also more mobile than other Belgians: 62% work in their province, 25% in Brussels, and 8% in Antwerp.”

Residents of Antwerp and the Brussels Capital Region complete the top five in terms of commuting time. According to SD Worx, those living in Brussels take less time on average to get to and from work, partly because they travel fewer kilometres: an average of 28 kilometers round trip. If we look at the workplace, Brussels comes first as a mobility capital. Someone who works in Brussels, and therefore often comes from another province, spends an average of 73 minutes on the road every day, one way or another. Luxembourgers spend less on commuting than Belgians: an average of 25 minutes per day, one way.

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According to SD Worx, distance to work “certainly plays a role in choosing a particular employer.” However, according to research, there is no consistent link between distance and time spent commuting on the one hand and the intention to leave the employer on the other hand. Among employees who spend more than one and a half hours a day commuting, eight out of ten (78%) do not want to change.

“It is not objective distance or commute time that determines intention to leave an organization,” Jacobs says. “Culture and mindset within the company also play a role. This makes it less likely that an employee will actively look for another employer if the employee has a great deal of freedom of choice and autonomy, for example in deciding where to work or working hours, or in compiling their own salary package from Through flexible bonuses.This is good news for employers who want to attract talent that lives far away or outside their county.

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Similar research conducted by SD Worx a year ago shows that your own car is the most popular means of transportation for getting to the office. About 39 percent of employees drive to work in the Flemish province. Bicycles and electric bicycles come in second place, at 22 percent.

King Auto was dethroned in Brussels. There, public transport – metro, tram and buses – are the most frequently chosen mode of transport at 23.7 percent. Your own car comes in second place, at 21.2 percent. In the capital, the use of your own bike or electric bike as a first choice is still very limited, at no more than 5 percent. Then, “on foot” more than doubled, at 10.5 percent.

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