15.07.2024

One in three would leave their job due to poor car parks

HR professionals tasked with earning the commute are being urged not to overlook the importance of car parking provision, after one in three drivers surveyed said they would consider leaving their job because of inadequate parking facilities.

The warning from line marking, surface treatment and Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) specialist, WJ Group, follows the publication of You Can’t Park There based on a survey of more than 500 drivers. The results show that 73% of drivers think parking provision in the UK is becoming increasingly neglected.

Crucially for HR professionals looking to entice the workforce back into the office, the survey found that one in three people between the ages of 35 and 44 would be deterred from coming into the office by poor parking facilities, with recent research showing that this age group is the most likely to want to work from home. The same research also found that 98% of businesses are encouraging employees back into the office, with HR professionals resorting to tactics including social events, free meals and access to counselling to support this aim. Meanwhile, 63% of the drivers questioned said that poor line markings and/or surface quality negatively affect their opinion of an organisation.

Wayne Johnston, CEO and Founder of WJ Group, said: “These figures will make for difficult reading for HR professionals and employers looking to bring experienced employees back into the office on a regular basis. Our findings show that inadequate and poor quality parking provision is a real frustration for drivers to the point that some are willing to seek employment elsewhere.”

The report found that the challenges are especially acute when it comes to drivers of SUVs, who were almost twice as likely to consider leaving a job due to inadequate parking facilities.

WJ Group says there are various steps employers can take in response to concerns over poor quality parking provision. These include standardising approaches across multiple sites, developing a proactive maintenance schedule and taking advantage of cost-effective solutions, such as surface repairs and refreshed line markings.

Johnston added: “Given the risk of poor parking facilities impacting employee satisfaction, attendance at the workplace and, ultimately, retention, it is important that employers act to address the issues identified by our survey. Planning and standardisation across sites are vital in this respect and mean that addressing a significant source of workplace stress is relatively straightforward and cost-effective.”

Download the report here.

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