Some new research from Robert Half confirms a common bragging point for us in Greater Des Moines: We have one of the quickest and least-stressful commutes in the country. And twice as many Greater Des Moines professionals — 35 percent — reported that their travel to and from the office has improved over the past five years, compared with 17 percent who said their commute has gotten worse. 

The study, which polled more than 2,800 professionals in 28 U.S. cities, also found that 28 percent of respondents have left a job because of a bad commute, with Chicago, Miami and New York topping the metros where the most workers left jobs due to the commute. Among Des Moines professionals, 14 percent said they have left a job over a bad commute. 

Among all the cities’ survey results, younger professionals (under 35) are most likely to leave their jobs because of a bad commute (34 percent), compared with those ages 35 to 54 (24 percent) and 55 and older (12 percent). And a larger percentage of men (28 percent) have quit over a bad commute versus women (20 percent). 

The takeaway for employers: Pay attention when workers complain about the commute, and determine whether there are things the company can do, whether it’s offering remote work options, flexible scheduling to avoid rush hour, or providing other transportation amenities.