Company car park : an asset for talent retention & recruitment?

In a professional environment that is constantly changing, where the quest for talent is more intense than ever, companies must double their creativity to stand out and offer an attractive work environment. Beyond traditional benefits such as competitive salaries & professional development opportunities, less obvious but equally crucial factors are emerging.

Among these, the company car park emerges as an unexpected strategic asset.

At first glance, it may seem trivial, yet it is much more than just a parking space. It plays a crucial role in candidates’ perception of the work environment. By providing a practical solution for employees, the company car park thus becomes a symbol of well-being & consideration.

In this article, discover the multiple facets & advantages of the company car park, but most importantly, learn how to turn it into a real asset for recruiting & retaining your talents, taking into account the current & future needs of your employees.

The importance of car park in the professional setting.

Undoubtedly: over the decades, the mobility needs of the French have evolved significantly, reflecting the socio-economic & technological transformations of our society.

In the past, the proximity of home to the workplace often sufficed to meet their mobility requirements. However, today’s increasing urbanization, the geographical dispersion of employment areas & the growth of the workforce have created new challenges.

In this context, parking within companies has taken on crucial importance.

A well-designed & adequately sized car park provides employees with considerable comfort by sparing them the daily stress associated with finding a parking spot. Moreover, it saves valuable time, increasing productivity & overall satisfaction.

Thus, it is easy to understand that by offering effective parking solutions, companies position themselves as employers who are attentive to the practical needs of their employees, contributing to their well-being & engagement.

So, what are the mobility expectations of the younger generations?

The younger generations, embodying the new driving forces of the labor market, express specific mobility expectations that differ significantly from those of their elders.

Seeking flexibility, they wish to fully and truly embrace multimodality. According to a study conducted by KANTAR, they do not reject any means of transport, including the car, provided that it is clean.

Therefore, they are ready to make numerous changes in their mobility habits. However, when it comes to infrastructure, innovation, urban planning, and even safety, they feel powerless to act. Consequently, they have strong expectations of public authorities, cities, and companies.

This new generation wants to be part of the change and also wants to exert all their influence to alter current practices.

That is why they are looking for mobility solutions that are not limited to the use of a personal car but also include public transport, carpooling, bicycles, electric scooters, as well as shared mobility services.

This range of choices reflects a preference for more sustainable and flexible options, adapted to the daily variations of their professional and personal needs.

What is the impact of company car park on the choice of an employer?

Clearly, the influence of parking on the choice of a company cannot be underestimated. Nowadays, younger generations evaluate job opportunities based on the mobility facilities offered by employers.

For example, a well-designed parking lot, with reserved spaces and modern infrastructures like shared charging points for electric vehicles, can be a decisive factor in their decision to join or stay within a company. This is especially true if potential candidates own an electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle.

Therefore, if you neglect these aspects, you are missing out on major assets to attract and retain your talents of tomorrow. By offering suitable parking solutions and integrating diverse mobility options (company carpooling, electric mobility, sustainable mobility, etc.), you not only meet the expectations of the younger generations but also position yourself as a modern and responsible organization in the job market.

By doing so, you enhance your attractiveness and cultivate a work environment conducive to the professional and personal development of your employees.

How to turn your company car park into a competitive advantage? 4 ideas.

To optimize your car park and make it a competitive advantage in the job market, you need to implement innovative solutions that ease the daily lives of your employees. Here are some of our ideas!

1.  Opt for a Parking Management application.

If your company faces a situation where the demand for parking spaces far exceeds the available supply, then adopting a Parking Management application can be a real advantage for attracting and retaining your talents.

Mainly because this situation can lead to several problems, such as congestion, frustration, annoyance, and long-term internal conflicts, even delays in your employees’ professional activities.

However, thanks to a dedicated SaaS solution like Sharvy, you can alleviate the pressure on parking resources. In real-time and on their smartphones, your employees can check availability within the company car park, reserve a parking space, access it without issues thanks to a dynamic map, release a designated spot (if such is the case) in their absence, and even report an incident within the car park.

Moreover, you can set up priority rules and usage policies, then let the fair algorithm of the Sharvy app manage the allocation of parking spaces.

For example, you can choose to give priority access to your car park to pregnant women, People with Reduced Mobility (PRM), as well as employees who carpool, etc. A real asset, significantly improving the employee experience within your company.

2. Facilitate carpooling initiatives among colleagues.

No doubt: promoting carpooling initiatives within your company requires a combination of adequate infrastructure, advanced technology, and a corporate culture conducive to ecological innovation.

To achieve this, you can first choose a unique carpooling application for all your employees. On this app, they can coordinate their journeys, find carpooling partners working near your company, and efficiently plan shared trips.

Furthermore, establish incentive measures, such as specific bonuses and parking spaces reserved for carpoolers. These measures can significantly strengthen the adoption of this practice, especially if parking spaces are limited at your car park and if your company is located in an urban area with high attractiveness where on-street parking is challenging. This provides a practical and motivating advantage for your employees who opt for this mode of transport.

As a result, you reduce the daily stress of searching for a parking spot, allowing them to start their day in a more serene and punctual manner.

3.  Install shared charging points in your company car park.

As a company, you find yourself at a crossroads today where adopting and promoting electric mobility are not just regulatory imperatives, but also essential pillars to meet the changing expectations of your employees (and potential candidates).

Indeed, equipping highway rest areas and public streets is necessary. However, this type of charging accounts for only 10% of usage, while 90% of charging happens at home and in the workplace. These two places are also the main parking locations since vehicles are stationary about 90% of the time.

Moreover, most of your employees work full-time and come to your workplace at least 2 to 3 times a week. Consequently, your workplace is an ideal location for charging, already having parking spaces where vehicles generally remain stationary for at least seven hours.

In this sense, by offering shared charging infrastructure directly on your company car park, you facilitate the transition to electric mobility for employees who desire it. This increased convenience is also perceived as a significant advantage by your potential talents, who can thus consider the use of electric vehicles without fearing the constraints related to charging.

Thus, you foster the retention of your employees and, most importantly, position yourself as an attractive employer concerned about the well-being of its teams, which enhances your recruitment efforts.

4.  Develop various spaces in your company car park to simplify the use of soft mobility options.

It’s worth noting that over 65% of young workers are ready to forgo applying to a company if it does not sufficiently consider environmental issues. Therefore, if you want to improve your attractiveness and enhance your employer brand, it is wise to simplify the use of soft mobility options.

There are many solutions to facilitate the use of soft mobility options; here are some ideas:

• Installation of a secure bike park within your company car park.
• Installation of a park of shared charging points.
• Establishment of a fleet of company bikes and electric scooters.
• Provision of locker rooms with showers in your facilities.
• Availability of a room offering some tools (repair & service).
• Financial participation in subscriptions (train, tram, metro, bus, etc).
• Use of smart parking to facilitate the transition to sustainable mobility!

In this way, you encourage your employees to adopt healthier and more ecological travel habits, thereby reducing dependence on thermal vehicles.

In conclusion

Your company car park proves to be a major strategic asset for attracting and retaining your employees. It is not only a practical convenience, facilitating daily access to the workplace, but also a well-being element that demonstrates your company’s attention to the needs of your employees. Moreover, your potential candidates often consider the availability of parking as a significant advantage, which can influence their decision to join your organization.

This attention to practical daily details not only enhances the satisfaction and engagement of your employees but also helps to strengthen the image of your company as an employer of choice. Therefore, a well-designed and maintained company car park becomes a tangible symbol of your consideration for your employees, laying the foundation for a lasting and fulfilling professional relationship.

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