When dealing with policy changes for your company, it’s important to approach the process with care. Updating your parking policies can help create a more efficient start to the workday and improve your employees’ and guests’ experiences. However, you can’t rush into any type of regulation changes. Follow this guide to help you learn how to create a new parking policy for your company and understand the key steps in responsibly implementing it.
What Is a Company Parking Policy?
A company parking policy is an official plan that provides guidelines and regulations for vehicle storage outside a commercial building. These policies help provide a more efficient parking structure for employees and guests visiting the company every day. If your company has a physical office, warehouse, or other buildings with parking structures, you can promote a seamless flow of vehicles to your property. Even buildings like apartment complexes, educational facilities, and more use these policies to improve safety and efficient traffic flow.
Why Your Company Needs a Parking Policy
When your business has many employees, it can be helpful to offer parking management through a policy. A parking policy helps keep your lot or structure organized and prevents vehicle storage from becoming a free-for-all each day.
No one wants to end a long commute to work with a battle to find a spot for their vehicle. If your employees and visitors struggle to navigate your facilities, it will negatively reflect on your company and impact your guests’ and employees’ experience. Parking policies help promote a better daily experience at your facility. Employees will know where to park in advance and can trust that there will be a space available for them on a given day.
Creating an Effective Policy—What To Consider
Before you can start outlining the best policy for your company, it’s important to consider what an ideal parking situation looks like for your applications. To start, evaluate your company’s current parking situation and look for areas where you can improve the experience with your new guidelines. You should also familiarize yourself with some potential solutions for common parking problems you might face.
Evaluate Your Current Parking Situation
An updated policy is the perfect opportunity to evaluate and address issues in your current system. Observe how your employees, visitors, and even customers navigate your parking facilities. Look for issues such as lack of space, poor accessibility, accident hazards, and more, then form your policy around fixing these issues.
You could even consider running an anonymous survey to gather feedback from employees and visitors. Your company’s employees will have the most familiarity with what is and isn’t working in your current infrastructure. Gathering feedback from this group will give you some of the best insight into current parking issues you want to tackle.
Questions To Ask
Before diving into the logistics of your policy, consider some more goals that you want to meet and shortcomings you want to accommodate. For example, ask yourself how many employees need parking spaces or if you need additional spaces for company vehicles. Do you want to prioritize guest spaces and access? Does your company already meet ADA parking requirements? Consider anything that will play into the design and accessibility of your updated vehicle lot.
Common Examples of Policy Aspects
There are several common access plans that companies usually select for their policies. You’ll have to consider several access models, such as first come, first served access, preferential parking, reservations, and more. Some companies even use a combination of these techniques to form their guidelines. For example, guests and high-ranking employees may receive preferential parking, while others fall into a first come, first served model. No matter which you choose, make sure your facilities can comfortably accommodate your employees and guests.
How To Implement Your Parking Policy
Your new parking outline won’t get very far if you don’t properly implement it into your company policies. Once you format your new regulations and are ready to share them, be sure to provide your entire company with advance notice of any changes. Create a formal document outlining the policy changes and updates so that your employees can have a clear reference. Be sure to spread this document and announcement through multiple channels across your company to ensure everyone stays informed. Send all employees a high-importance email, consider posting new guidelines outside your parking lot or garage, and encourage employees to spread the word among each other.
Tips for Encouraging the Policy Transition
Any kind of policy change at your company will require some time and teamwork to implement. Even if it’s the best option for your employees, they might meet it with some hesitancy. For example, there may be some backlash against new policies such as paid parking options and new first come, first served options. These strategies can be frustrating for employees, especially if your current parking lot or structure lacks sufficient vehicle storage space.
Consider ways that you can create a positive policy shift for everyone, such as expanding your parking options. Implementing innovative technology, such as a fully automated car parking system, will increase your business’s spaces for both employees and customers. This strategy allows you to provide enough spots for everyone, no matter what type of parking model you’re following going forward. You can also use digital apps and services that allow easy spot management.
Where To Find Parking Amenities
You can meet your company’s vehicle space shortages head-on with amenities such as fully automated car parking systems. If you wish to include amenities like updated vehicle storage systems in your company’s facility, you can find a wide range of solutions here at Harding Steel. We provide semi- and fully automated parking solutions for all types of businesses everywhere. Stack parking solutions offer more space and make parking more efficient and less frustrating for employees. Learn more about vehicle storage solutions and technology at Harding Steel today.
If your company wishes to implement new guidelines, don’t forget these key tips to help your company create a new parking policy. These techniques can help you create the most effective parking strategies for your business’s needs and implement them in a way that fosters teamwork and communication. And if you’re interested in upgrading your parking facilities as well, learn more about fully automated car parking systems and other solutions here at Harding Steel.
