"work" also involves the total velocity change, which means that the trip to employment results in the same amount of total work, regardless of the number of stops made, and which over the total of a day results in 0 work being completed (assuming a round trip from home to the place of employment).
Perhaps the physics definition of "work" isn't quite the right one to use?
A regenerative braking system might make cyclists happier to stop, it's true.
The physical "work" of trying to take off uphill in 7th gear is a lot more effort than taking off in 1st gear on a 7 gear bike.
I'd suggest testing that theory by moving off from a standstill in various gears and seeing how much "work" each one takes.