Situation: you recently read an interesting article about the company bike that inspired you immensely. Or better: you went to a bar with a friend who arrived with a brand new electric bike and couldn't get enough of his enthusiasm. In short: you have been stimulated to embrace the company bicycle within your professional organization. So how do you get started?
Step 1: What is the function of the company bicycle?
The very first question you should ask yourself is very simple: what do you want to use the company bike for within the organization?
- Commuting: do you want to make the company bicycle available for the commuting of your employees? Then you can go for a "salary bike" (a bike processed through the employees' pay) or organize a group purchase.
- Work traffic: do you want to use the company bicycle for professional activities? Then you can make the bike available as a pool bike. Maybe you can use a cargo bike yourself to create some more cargo volume.
Function commuting
Currently, the "salary bike" is particularly popular. With a salary bicycle, the cost of the bicycle is processed through a gross salary exchange. Due to the (para-)fiscal advantages, the bicycle is more advantageous in net terms than a private purchase for the employee and cost-neutral for the employer.
A gross wage exchange is sometimes impossible due to sector-wide measures such as pay scales or a statutory wage. In that case, the (para-)fiscal measures expire and a group purchase may be more interesting.
A group purchase is a favorable purchase formula combined with free maintenance and any accessories. This model is arranged by the company or public service, but it is a private purchase. Thus, the employee buys the package directly.
Both bikes may also be used for private purposes.
Function work traffic
Want to use the company bicycle during hours? Then a pool bike or a cargo bike is the solution. Obvious tax and functional benefits apply here as well.
The use of these bicycles is limited to trips for professional activities or commuting. Thus, you cannot use the bicycle for private travel if you want to enjoy the VAT deduction.
Step 2: What formula do I choose?
You've made your choice. Fine! Step 2 is very simple. How do you want to acquire the company bike: through bike leasing or bike purchase?
- Bike leasing: you rent the bike for 36 months including a number of services such as annual maintenance, comprehensive damage and theft insurance and a breakdown assistance formula. Compare it to an all-in formula on vacation, everything is included.
- Bike purchase: you purchase the bike and take optional à la carte some extra services. The better "bed & breakfast," in other words.
Each company has its own individuality and thus may have different preferences. If you have a solid cash flow, then a bike purchase is often chosen over an operating bike lease. Organizations looking to offer payroll bikes may then be more likely to choose a leasing package. This is because the additional services also qualify for the (para-)tax benefit.
Step 3: Start-to-bike
Then all you have to do now is choose the bike supplier and start the bike plan.
Bike Plan
The intensity in establishing a bike plan varies quite a bit with its function and with whether the bike plan is part of a broader mobility policy. Setting up salary bicycles requires more organization than purchasing a cargo bike.
Specifically, there are a number of elements that can be scrutinized in a bike plan. At Joule, we are happy to help with the various dimensions of the bike plan:
- Administration: recording and making arrangements with a bicycle supplier, communication with social secretariat, establishing a bicycle policy
- Communication: survey and employee presentation, test days, advisory sessions and possible bicycle training sessions
- Order process: order cycle, approval and delivery
- Permanence: What in case of breakdown, maintenance and repair?
- Personalization: employer branding through personalization of accessories or even bicycles.
Bicycle supplier
OK, we're not completely neutral in this piece. But honestly, our customers find our service and framing at the bike plan outstanding.
Joule is a B2B bike shop. That means we offer company bikes (salary bikes, cargo bikes, pool bikes, group purchase) including full service (maintenance, repair and warranty). We operate as a distributor of 12 brands and offer an on-site maintenance service. For companies and other organizations. From sole proprietorship to public limited company.
A one-stop bike shop, in other words.
