Four Ways Your That Parking Setbacks Are Currently Costing Your Team Time

Problem # 1 - Limited Parking Spaces

A lack of parking spaces is by far the most pressing problem in most company car parks, with roughly 30% of employees reporting that it takes as long as 30 minutes to find a space each morning. That’s 26 hours of lost productivity a year, which, as well as resulting in late arrivals, can leave your employees so stressed when they arrive that they take a while to get into the workday swing.

Unfortunately, this isn’t always an easy issue to address. For one thing, you can’t change the size of your car park itself. Sustainability drives in countries like Paris, which involve getting rid of as many as 60,000 car parking spaces to discourage private travel, also mean that businesses can’t really expand their parking facilities without facing political kickbacks.

So, how can you possibly navigate this issue while keeping everyone’s best interests in mind?

To some extent, allocated or reserved parking spaces seem like a tempting solution. They certainly stand to cut parking times in half. But there’s a flipside to this, as employee dissension could quickly start to fester because of imagined favouritism for employees with the best spots.

As such, the only real solution seems to be a multi-dimensional one, which incorporates incentive-based allocations and smart car park designs that allow for more spaces overall. Many employers are also seeing success from carshare initiatives, which could free up a significant amount of car parking spaces if they’re successful.

Problem # 2 - High Parking Costs

Free employee parking may be the dream, but is this benefit ever truly free? There’s some pretty strong evidence to suggest that someone always pays for a company car park, be that the business owner or the tax payer. Neither solution is a good one, and the cost will ultimately fall back on your employees in some way.

So, many managers have little choice but to charge between £2.50-£12 in parking costs daily. As well as keeping staff from the office as they navigate long-winded daily payment processes, these costs are so steep that many employees simply aren’t willing to pay them. And, that’s also costing your team time while they have to seek alternative travel arrangements.

Annual or monthly parking passes provide a get-out card here, by enabling faster parking overall, and also offering the potential to keep costs down over extended periods. But even passes aren’t necessarily a one-size-fits-all solution in this remote working age. After all, many employees don’t spend enough time in the office to justify these costs!

That’s why many employers are finding that they need to adapt parking passes to a modern workforce, across solutions including pay-per-day passes, or passes that are preloaded with a set amount of parking that can be used flexibly across each month.

Problem # 3 - Outdated Parking Management Systems

We’re really getting into the meat of this matter now, because few parking issues cost more time than outdated systems. Manual systems like physical permits or permissions are not only long-winded, but they’re often prone to even more time-consuming setbacks or errors. And, you can bet your employees won’t be in the best mood if they’ve been held up at the door for any of these reasons.

Luckily, this is one of the easiest problems on this list to overcome, because there are now countless faster solutions available. In fact, alternative solutions like automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) systems eliminate the need for slow on-door processes altogether. Without a manned parking checkpoint or slow access gate in sight, systems like these can grant authorised access in seconds, ultimately allowing for the sophisticated permit processes that you need to thrive.

These technologies can be especially useful when implemented alongside mobile apps, where employees can seamlessly renew their permits, update their number plate information, and do much more besides.

Problem # 4 - General Congestion

Sometimes, productivity-losing parking problems are as simple as a congested car park due to either high demand at key times, or a generally poor design. These are by no means small issues, but they do have some relatively simple solutions.

For instance, staggered shifts are one of the best things you can do to avoid morning or afternoon car park congestion. Asking half of your employees to arrive later could actually see everyone in the office a whole lot earlier! Admittedly, earlier arrivals may be resentful of employees who start later, but you can always balance this out by alternating those timings, or simply allowing earlier arrivals to leave first in the afternoon.

If congestion continues to be a problem, it’s possible that your car park design itself requires some attention. You should especially aim to eliminate confusing layouts or tight spaces with a straightforward, easily drivable parking arrangement. This is an effort worth making, even if you have to lose some spaces to achieve this goal.

Takeaway

Company parking is an undeniable employee benefit, but each of these problems is a sure sign that something isn’t right. To claw back lost productivity and keep your employees happier overall, you’ll want to address these problems to ensure that everyone on your team is smiling and raring to go in the mornings.

FAQs for Four Ways Your That Parking Setbacks Are Currently Costing Your Team Time

Why are company car parks often problematic for employees?

Company car parks can cause problems due to limited spaces, high costs, outdated management systems, and general congestion. These issues lead to lost time, stress, and reduced productivity for staff.

How can businesses address a lack of parking spaces?

To tackle limited spaces, businesses can implement incentive-based parking allocations, redesign car parks for more efficient use of space, and encourage carshare initiatives. These methods help maximise existing capacity.

What are the disadvantages of traditional parking passes for a modern workforce?

Traditional annual or monthly parking passes may not suit employees who work remotely part-time, as they might not be in the office enough to justify the cost. Flexible options like pay-per-day or preloaded passes are often more appropriate.

How can technology improve parking management systems?

Technology can greatly improve parking management. Systems like Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) allow for quick, automated access. Mobile apps, such as those offered by Storific, can also let employees easily manage permits and update vehicle details, making the process much smoother.

What simple solutions can reduce car park congestion?

Simple solutions for congestion include implementing staggered shifts to spread out arrival and departure times. Additionally, improving the car park's layout to eliminate confusing or tight spaces can make it easier and quicker for vehicles to move around.