Change management – How to raise awareness among your employees about sustainable alternatives?

Thierry Devresse
18 hours ago
3 min read

Thursday, March 26, 2026

The vast majority of our behavior is driven by habits. The same applies to our modes of transportation. Once a habit is established, such as commuting to work by car every day, it becomes very difficult to break. Even if it may not be the best option given the traffic congestion on our roads.

Habits are persistent. To change mobility behavior, it is therefore not enough to simply inform employees or offer them an allowance for using a bicycle: it requires understanding how behavior works and how change actually happens. The key lies in changing the context, not in persuading people with arguments.

Our daily routine is therefore not immutable. As soon as people realize that their habit is not necessarily the best option, a space opens up for them to make new choices.

However, it is important to note that change does not happen by itself. It creates resistance: it requires energy, generates a feeling of insecurity, and disrupts established habits.

Ignoring this resistance almost never works. It must be acknowledged and worked with, rather than fought against. But where to start?

🌱 1. Provide a positive message

Focus your communication on the behavior you want to encourage, not on what you want to avoid.

👉 Don’t say: “Leave the car in the garage.”👉 Instead say: “Try to use the bike more often.”

A positive message reduces resistance.

🗣️ 2. Share positive testimonials and leverage social norms

People are social beings and are strongly influenced by what others do. It is useful for colleagues, but also managers, to show that they sometimes cycle or commute by public transport.

Encourage colleagues who already adopt sustainable mobility to share their experiences, for example through a short video or an inspiring post. A senior manager who demonstrates sustainable mobility behavior can also set a strong example!

Also regularly communicate to all employees the percentage of colleagues who occasionally choose sustainable mobility. This way, sustainable mobility is no longer just an option, but becomes the social norm.

🔧 3. Make behavior change easy

Do not ask for a radical change immediately; instead, proceed step by step. People who commute by car every day do not switch overnight to fully sustainable mobility.

Support them in taking small steps:

Give examples of colleagues who try alternatives one day a week or only during summer months
Ensure that information about alternatives is clear and accessible
Encourage employees to think about when and how they will adopt this new behavior

The easier the choice, the more likely people are to make it.

🚴 4. Let people try without commitment

Trying makes a real difference! In Flanders, there are many test fleets that allow organizations to let employees try, free of charge for 2 to 4 weeks, an e-bike, speed pedelec, train subscription, etc.

Through providers such as Treffik (West Flanders), Testkaravaan (East Flanders), Mobilotheek (Slim naar Antwerpen), Pendelproeverij (Lantis), and Fietstest (Flemish Brabant), employees can discover—without commitment and for free—whether these alternative transport modes suit them.

With a trial period longer than one hour, people can integrate the new mode of transport into their daily lives and truly adapt their habits. On average, more than one in three people adopt the tested mode of transport afterwards.

A trial period is extremely effective because it lowers barriers and allows people to realize that the alternative is often much easier and more enjoyable than expected.

Behavior changes when it becomes understandable, achievable, and familiar

Changing commuting habits does not require large campaigns, but a thoughtful approach: understanding habits, acknowledging resistance, enabling small steps, and removing barriers.

Real change happens when sustainable choices become normal, visible, and easy.

Author: Jorine Callebert, Mobility Budget Expert @Traject, partner of MBE Mobility Budget Experts

#MBE Mobility Budget Experts #mobilitybudget #mandatorymobilitybudget #mobility #HRstrategy #changemanagement #sustainablemobility #awareness #employees