A good working atmosphere is one of the main goals of every employer. Satisfaction generates motivation and increases employee productivity. For this reason, employers should take care of every detail so that their employees feel comfortable with each other. As insignificant as it may seem, one such thing is the availability of parking space.
If employees can find free parking spaces without difficulty and stress, they do not need to worry about their vehicles. To make it easier for them to move around the company car park, it is good to set car park rules and regulations. Thanks to clear office car park policy, employees may quickly and effortlessly park their cars close to the office and also avoid misunderstandings, which can contribute to the desired harmony at the workplace.
Is office car parking policy for employees really needed?
The company parking space is of great significance as it has an influence not only on employee satisfaction, but also on the environment and urban setting. Nowadays, companies are trying to encourage their staff to use various means of transport in order to decrease the pollution and create more free space in cities. There are numerous awareness campaigns on this issue and thanks to them many employees have already changed the way of getting to their workplace. However, the vast majority still opt for cars. For this reason, it is necessary to declutter the parking space and make it more accessible. Setting appropriate office car park policy is the basis for the good functioning of the organization, as it adds to general employee satisfaction.
All the issues indicated above are the reason why companies should implement car park rules and regulations. Thanks to them, the organization can address the needs of employees and make them feel better at the workplace. After all, the golden rule of productivity says that a satisfied employee is an effective employee.
Car parking policy for employees – what is it actually?
The office car park policy is a list of simply rules for company cars and private cars users. It is a set of recommendations explaining how to behave and move around the parking space. Through these regulations, the company is able to optimize the parking layout and adapt it to the regular number of cars using the area. The main goal of the office car park policy is to provide the organization with a seamless flow of vehicles. The rules should be created according to the global mobility management guidelines.
The car park rules and regulations should be meticulously thought-out. The creator of such guidelines should carefully consider the number of employees and visitors who regularly use the car park. While creating the rules, it is important to take into account some frequent visitors and other people who regularly show up in the office, so that no employee or guest is overlooked and everything runs smoothly. This is the only possible way to determine appropriate and efficient parking regulations that meet everyone’s expectations.
How to create the office car park policy for an organization?
Implementing rules for company cars is undoubtedly very beneficial. However, it is not an easy task. It requires a well-thought-out plan, the creation of which is based on several important elements. So, what should be included in such a plan?
Firstly, you need to answer the basic mobility questions of your organization. The main one is the question of the number of employees who use the parking space and their means of transport. In addition, the work mode should be taken into account – remote, hybrid or fully stationary work has a direct impact on car traffic within the company. What is more, it is very important to indicate whether employees use vehicles during working hours.
When creating the policy, it is always important to consider how employees can choose where to leave their cars during working hours. Particular parking spaces can be, for instance, assigned to specific employees, so that they always have their own spot. Employees can also be provided with a parking space booking app, in which they can book their parking spaces and send important notifications.
The basics of the office car park policy
Each company determines the regulations for the use of the car park according to its needs and requirements. However, there are many types of the car park organization methods that can influence the content and the shape of the policy. The chosen approach should depend mainly on the number of employees, logistics habits and the size of the car parking.
One of the most popular types of parking organization is known as the “first come, first served” principle. It is based on the idea that the parking area is open to everyone. There are also no imposed rules for space booking. This type of policy is very popular with smaller companies which have enough parking space to accommodate everyone. In case of smaller or insufficient parking areas, it may happen that employees, who arrive to work at the same time, generate a traffic jam and anxiousness. The “first come, first served” principle may then lead to troubles with entry and exit, especially in rush hours.
Another way of allocating parking spaces is the reservation method. Thanks to reservation, employees always know where to park their cars and there is no unnecessary chaos. To keep booking simple and effortless for employees, it is recommended to install a parking space booking app. The application monitors the parking space availability and shows its users which spots are free. The software may also show parking spaces intended for some specific employees, which can’t be occupied. As a result, the system reduces potential traffic congestion. This way, companies are able to avoid chaos, and employees can avoid stress. There is also possibility to assign priorities in parking space booking for some employees. This may concern, e.g., seniors, pregnant women, EV cars owners.
Another solution for parking troubles, although not as popular as the previous ones, is a paid employee parking. Currently, more and more companies want to have a real impact on the environment and prevent its over-exploitation. The parking fee may seem draconian to employees, however, it may bring a positive change and get employees to user their bicycles.
All the above-mentioned types of office parking regulations have their advantages and disadvantages. When choosing the right system, one should consider the needs of employees and the car park size and layout.
Important issues regarding the office car park policy
The regulations describing the mobility of vehicles in the car park should cover not only the rules of movement, i.e., technical issues, but also, they should include information on the occupancy of spots. The important information is also how many days ahead the user can reserve a parking space. Each organization can determine it individually.
Usually, in most companies, parking spaces can be booked two days in advance and must be confirmed the day before. It is also worth setting a specific time interval to avoid misunderstandings between car park users. If a given place is not booked, it is available for reservation within the system, so that the mobility of vehicles is always smooth. If an employee has a booked parking space and doesn’t show up at work or leaves earlier, they should also share this information with others, so that they know that space is available.
It is also important to provide guidelines for electric vehicle users. If an employee books a parking space with access to an EV charger, they should free up the space once their vehicle is charged, as other car park users may also need to use the charger. They should also notify other car park users that the space with access to the EV charger is no longer occupied.
The office car park policy should also include information about some specific areas of car parks which are permanently assigned to a given group. In many companies, the board and managers don’t have to book parking spaces as there are several other spaces which are reserved only for them and can’t be used by other car park users.
What is comes to booking, it is also worth considering when employees should be able to reserve spots. To provide all employees with equal chances, booking time should be when they are all in the office, e.g., in the morning or in the afternoon before the office closes.
Another issue which should always be addressed in the car park policy is how to report accidents or questions about the car park. In most cases, they should be directed to the car park staff, either by e-mail or in person.
The car parking policy for employees may also oblige car park users to submit a list of registration numbers of cars they use. Although some employees may treat it as a violation of privacy, the register of car plates may turn out to be helpful in many cases, e.g., once your car get damaged you can be instantly notified about it.
Office car park policy evaluation
After establishing the car park policy for employees, it may be a good practice to check how the regulations work in practice. If the policy is successful, employees will feel a positive change rapidly and their satisfaction will increase.
The employer can send out the questionnaire or talk to their staff in person to ask about their impressions of the organization of the company car park. After all, the employees are the most important users of this space and their feelings are the best indicator of how the regulations works.
The employer should remember that the priority here is the well-being of employees, and that their opinions can be a great source of inspiration to modernize and change the organization of a car park so that every user is satisfied and feels comfortable.
A win-win situation
Implementing car park rules and regulations is beneficial not only for employees who use their vehicles to get to work, but also for employers and the entire organization. It may contribute to the reduction of morning parking-related stress. The employees very often have difficulties in finding free spots to park their cars. Sometimes this is also one of the reasons why they are late or want to change jobs.
Another important issue solved with a proper car park policy are the individual needs of some particular employees. Every organization should pick parking spots which are available only to those who need them most (especially people with disabilities). When employees are provided in advance with the possibility to book their parking spaces, or they are assigned particular spots, their mental comfort increases and they are less likely to get stressed. As a result, the atmosphere inside the company is pleasant, and the productivity of employees increases.
An exemplary office car park policy
1. General information
1.1. This policy defines rules for the use of the car park located at the XYZ company headquarters.
1.2. The car park is owned by the XYZ company.
1.3. The car park is used for parking vehicles by employees and authorized people.
1.4. The car park is open 24 hours a day.
1.5. When entering the parking area, each user agrees to the terms of the present policy and undertakes to abide by the rules.
2. Rules for moving around the car park
2.1. The area of this car park is regulated by traffic rules.
2.2. Drivers should always be particularly careful while driving and parking.
2.3. The maximum speed allowed in the car park is 20 km/h.
2.4. When entering and leaving the car park, the vehicle must stop at the barrier and the driver must present their pass – either through magnetic card readers or to a security guard.
2.5. The pass should be brought close enough to the reader to allow its verification, which will enable the barrier to be raised.
3. Cards authorizing the use of the car park
3.1. The document allowing to use parking space is the employee’s pass.
3.2. Passes are issued by the administration department, where an employee must provide personal data and information about the registration number.
3.3. If there is a change of personal data or vehicle details, an employee should immediately inform the administration department.
4. Parking rules
4.1. Some of the parking spaces are intended for specific groups of users (e.g. pregnant women).
4.2. The car should be parked in a place designated for vehicles.
4.3. If the employee belongs to a specific group of parking users, they should take a place located in the zone designated exactly for this group.
5. Parking spot reservation
5.1. A parking space can be reserved two days in advance.
5.2. The employee making the reservation must confirm it the day before.
5.3. If an employee has booked a parking space and knows that it will not be used, they should notify others so that they know that the parking space is available.
6. Using EV chargers
6.1. If an employee books a parking space with access to an EV charger, they should free up the space once their vehicle is charged, as other car park users may also need to use the charger.
6.2. An employee should also notify other car park users that the space with access to the EV charger is no longer occupied.
7. Safety rules
7.1. The user of the car park is obliged to protect the vehicle against possible theft, burglary, or destruction by closing all doors or activating the alarm system.
7.2. The XYZ company is not responsible for damages caused by poor weather conditions.
7.3. The XYZ company is not responsible for any traffic damage that happened in the car park space.
7.4. Failure to comply with the rules of the regulations twice will result in the withdrawal of the right to use this area.
7.5. Requests, remarks, or complaints should be reported to the administration department.
If you’d like to introduce Parkalot – our car park management app – to your company, please contact us at contact-us@parkalot.io or book an onboarding call.
Start using Parkalot within an hour. Allow your colleagues to commute by car, and park in the parking spaces assigned to those who are working from home.