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September marks the return to routine. Schedules are being adjusted, daily commutes are returning, and many families are getting back on track to get everything done.
With the end of summer, two return silent costs that have a direct impact on the well-being of working people: the time wasted in the transfers and The money that is demanded for transportation and childcare.
And it's not an isolated perception. According to II Edenred's study on occupational well-being and health, 67% of Spaniards consider that commuting to work is a barrier to balancing their personal and professional lives. That is, two out of every three professionals They feel that the The daily commute complicates their reconciliation.
Returning to work involves resuming some fixed expenses that during the holidays are relaxed or temporarily disappear. On the one hand, there is economic cost of transport daily newspaper. On the other hand, in many households, September also means the Back to the daycare of the smallest ones.
To this is added an equally important factor: the time. The time spent on commuting not only affects productivity or fatigue, but also the actual possibility of reconcile. Coming home later, leaving earlier in the morning, or relying on long journeys conditions the daily lives of thousands of professionals.
La Community of Madrid It is the territory where displacement is perceived most as a barrier to reconciliation. 74.4 % % of professional workers in Madrid say that the distance or the journey to their place of work makes it difficult for them to balance their personal and professional lives., That is almost eight points above the national average.
Then they settle down Andalucia, with 68.9 %, and Catalonia, with 66.8 %. They follow them Comunidad Valenciana (65.2 %) and Galicia (64.6 %). Even in the region with the lowest percentage of those analyzed, Castile and León, The perception remains clearly majority-based, with a 58,8 %.
These data reflect that daily mobility is not a minor issue. And in September, when daily commutes regain their full weight, it becomes an additional source of stress and wear and tear.
Conciliation also affects labor decisions. According to the study, For % 49 of the Spanish professionals, reconciliation is a determining factor when choosing or staying in a company.
Women give it even greater weight: 52. % 2 considers it key, in front of 46.1 % of the men. In other words, talking about reconciliation is no longer just about well-being: it is also about Employer brand, talent attraction and loyalty.
In this context, September acts as a kind of annual reminder: getting things in order not only depends on having flexible working hours or teleworking. It also depends on everything that happens before you arrive at work and after you leave.
Because in practice, returning to routine brings with it a silent double cost:
Both affect the family economy, the level of stress, and the perception that people have of their company. Therefore, offering benefits that help reduce that impact can make a real difference in the day-to-day lives of teams.
Although it is not always possible to reduce the distance between home and work, it is possible. making that displacement more efficient and economical for the professional.
This is where it comes into play Edenred Mobility, a solution designed to facilitate daily journeys and generate tangible savings. At a time when commuting to work has once again become a recurring expense, having a benefit that allows you to optimize that cost has a direct impact on the team’s finances.
The proposal is clear: if you already have to travel, at least you can do it by saving on the IRPF. In this way, mobility ceases to be just an obligation associated with the work routine and becomes an area where the company can also contribute value.
In addition, in a context marked by the implementation of the Sustainable Mobility to Work Plans, which must be in operation before 5 December 2026 in the centers affected by the Law 9/2025 on Sustainable Mobility, promoting solutions related to transportation also helps companies advance towards more sustainable, affordable, and aligned models with the new regulation.
With the return of September, many families also resume one of the most important expenses of the course: the kindergarten. In this context, Edenred Guardería helps professionals with children 0 to 3 years to cover that cost more conveniently, as it can be used as a payment method at authorized early childhood education centers on the Edenred network throughout Spain.
In addition, it provides a direct tax advantage: The amount allocated for the childcare ticket is exempt from IRPF up to 1,000 euros per year per child, Therefore, the employee can Save on your monthly salary By paying less taxes. For the company, it also represents a way to promote family reconciliation with a high-value benefit received. without increasing wage costs.
In this context, social benefits such as Edenred Mobility and Edenred Guardería They are no longer an extra but become tools with real impact, capable of alleviating two of the main burdens of this era: the cost of commuting to work and childcare costs. Betting on this type of solution allows companies to better support their teams in their day-to-day work, improve the professional experience, and strengthen a more human, useful, and aligned value proposition with their real needs.
Human Resources professional with a solid track record in talent management and a strong commitment to optimising the employee value proposition. Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to develop my expertise in international environments and consulting firms, specialising in talent attraction and retention through advanced strategies such as flexible remuneration. Currently, as Key Account Manager (KAM) at Edenred, I collaborate closely with major clients to design and implement strategic compensation and benefits solutions that enhance corporate well-being and organisational engagement.
