Author: Milja Petrovic

Better Parking Management – The Secret to a Happy Employee

Posted on by Milja Petrovic

Better Parking Management - The Secret to a Happy Employee

Crowded parking lot with barely any empty spots left

Did you know that on average, people waste 17 hours a year driving around looking for a parking spot? 

That is almost a whole day per year that you spend anxiously wandering around in search of an empty place to park. 

This data proves that cities, businesses, and organizations are in desperate need of smarter and more efficient mobility solutions to parking problems. 

But beyond the search for a parking spot lies a deeper issue—parking anxiety—and its considerable impact on employee productivity. When employees experience stress related to finding a parking spot at their workplace, it can lead to several negative outcomes that affect their overall performance and well-being. 

In the rest of the article, we will explore the symptoms of parking anxiety and the best way to tackle this issue.

What is parking anxiety and how it can influence employee productivity?

The ramp in front of the empty underground parking lot

Parking anxiety emerges as a result of the uncertainty associated with finding empty and suitable parking at the workplace. This phenomenon is more common than one might think. It impacts individuals who have come to accept traffic challenges as an unavoidable part of their daily routine. 

Symptoms of parking anxiety include physiological responses like:

Racing heartbeat,

Trembling,

Shortness of breath,

Sweaty palms,

Palpitations,

Sense of disorientation, often escalating to the point of a panic attack.

These stress-inducing situations can disrupt even the most resilient and experienced drivers. Here’s how the before-mentioned responses influence employee productivity:

Stress and Mental Health: Searching for a parking spot can be frustrating and stressful, especially when running late for work. This stress can lead to decreased focus, irritability, and overall decreased mental well-being. When employees are preoccupied with finding parking, they may struggle to concentrate on their tasks, impacting their productivity.

Arrival Time: Employees might arrive at work earlier than necessary to secure a parking spot, unproductively spending time in their cars. If they arrive late due to parking difficulties, they may begin their workday feeling flustered. This can negatively impact their ability to focus and perform effectively.

Time Wasted: Time spent circling parking lots is time that employees could have spent on productive tasks. This can lead to wasted time at the beginning and end of each workday, reducing the overall amount of time available for actual work.

Physical Health: Walking longer distances from distant parking spots can add up over time, especially in inclement weather. This could impact employees’ physical well-being, and energy potentially affecting their ability to perform at their best.

Job Satisfaction: A constant struggle with parking can negatively influence job satisfaction. Employees who consistently experience stress related to parking may become increasingly dissatisfied with their work environment. This can lead to reduced motivation and engagement.

Burnout: Over time, the combination of stress, wasted time, and decreased job satisfaction can contribute to burnout. Burnout can lead to reduced creativity, enthusiasm, and overall job performance.

Team Dynamics: Parking-related stress can spill over into workplace relationships. Employees who arrive at work feeling frustrated or anxious due to parking issues might be more prone to conflicts with colleagues. This can impact teamwork and collaboration.

Absenteeism: Employees who constantly struggle with parking-related stress might be more likely to take unplanned absences or arrive late. This can disrupt team dynamics and create additional stress for coworkers who have to pick up the slack.

Mitigating this issue is essential for cultivating a safe and productive work environment. Preventing parking anxiety not only places employers ahead of potential issues but also enhances employee productivity, ultimately contributing to a higher rate of employee retention.

Now that you know all the repercussions parking anxiety can have on your employees and your business, learn how to prevent it.

Alternative transportation options as a remedy for your parking anxiety

Two women high-fiving each other while carpooling to work

Encouraging corporate carpooling, public transportation, biking, or remote work can all alleviate parking-related stress. Here’s how incorporating these sustainable transportation methods can serve as a resolution to your parking challenges:

Reduced Personal Vehicle Usage: Sustainable commuting options like public transportation, biking, walking, carpooling, and ridesharing can reduce the number of cars on the road. This means less competition for parking spots, reducing the stress of finding a parking space.

Less Need for Parking: When more people use sustainable commuting options, the overall demand for parking decreases. This can lead to less congestion in parking lots and on the streets, making it easier to find parking spaces.

Promotion of Alternative Options: Businesses provide incentives to encourage sustainable commuting among their employees, such as preferred parking for carpoolers or bike commuters. This can make it easier for sustainable commuters to find parking.

Reduced Environmental Impact: Sustainable commuting reduces air pollution, congestion, and overall environmental impact. Cities and businesses that promote these options may invest in more sustainable urban planning, including better parking management.

Healthier Commute: Walking or biking to work can be a healthier alternative, reducing stress and improving well-being. This positive experience can mitigate the anxiety associated with parking.

Community Benefits: A shift towards sustainable commuting can lead to stronger communities, reduced traffic, and improved quality of life. These factors can positively impact overall attitudes toward parking and commuting.

The effectiveness of these solutions depends on the availability and quality of sustainable commuting options in your area, as well as the policies and initiatives in place to support them. Encouraging sustainable commuting can lead to a more relaxed and efficient parking experience, benefiting both individuals and the community.

Taking parking management to the next level doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a long and complex process that starts with educating yourself on possible innovative solutions. 

One of the potential solutions that will shift your business into an anxiety-free zone when it comes to parking could be a sustainable commuting platform with built-in parking management. 

You might not know what the future holds, but you can rely on smart technology to clear your parking lot and your path to success.

Walking to work for a more sustainable tomorrow

Posted on by Milja Petrovic

Walking to work for a more sustainable tomorrow

If you’re one of many lost in a never-ending pursuit of a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle, we bring you a solution. Introducing – WALKING TO WORK.

Maybe a more correct term would be reintroducing since commercial cars have only been available to us since the beginning of the 20th century. Before that, we didn’t know any better and our energy was the only fuel we needed. So why did we become so lazy and abandon the idea of walking to work altogether? Time. We’ve made a conscious decision to choose practicality over sustainability.

But ask yourself this – what is the most valuable thing to you?

Your money, your health, or your time? Yes, we’re starting this article with an existential question, hope your day is going well.

When asked this question people unintentionally “forget” how important their health is and think of their time as the most precious thing there is. But focusing on saving your time might harm other areas of your life.

Why Driving a Car to Work and Working Remotely Do More Harm Than Good?

According to research from 2021, around 86% of Americans commute to work by car. 

This might cut the time you spend transporting from point A to point B, but staying in a seated position for that long can’t be good for your health. Now, add on that a 9 to 5 job and the amount of time you’ll be spending sitting at your desk. 

We, as humans, are not made to sit down and be still, at least not for that long. 

Sooner or later, back pain is spreading around the office like a virus and you realize you’ve been postponing self-care.

Don’t be a procrastinator, not when your health is at stake! 

Make some simple yet fruitful changes to your everyday life, starting with relying more on your feet rather than your vehicle.

As for the impact that working remotely has on your health, most of us can draw from our personal experience.

If you worked during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s a high chance you had to work remotely for a while. It was new, different, and fun in the beginning, but soon, we had to face the repercussions of not socializing and most importantly not practicing physical activity.

Human’s trait to get used to everything, can cost us our health. By working from home, we didn’t have a reason to leave our house and do a simple task such as walking to work.

Not practicing exercise is the disease of the modern man, walking to work is its remedy.

Seven Benefits of Walking to Work

What’s there not to like about walking?

Yeah, sometimes we’re too lazy to do it, but with all the benefits that come with it, we can overcome laziness. We should overcome laziness. And if you need more encouragement to do it, we’re here for you with the list of seven benefits.

  1. Walking is a great cardio workout
  2. Daily walks reduce your stress
  3. Physical activity helps you clear your mind
  4. Walking boosts your work performance
  5. Walking to work will save you money
  6. Sustainable habits are good for the environment
  7. A way to connect with your colleagues: KINTO Join and a walking journey

1 Walking is a great cardio workout

If running or any other type of cardio exercise is not an option for you due to busy schedules, walking to work can be a great alternative. Speed up a bit and elevate your heartbeat, respiration, and temperature. Walking to work can burn calories like nobody’s business. It can contribute to the prevention of obesity-related diseases, such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, and coronary heart disease.

Walking to work will keep you fit and lower your risk of getting health issues caused by a lack of physical activity. Besides that, endorphins produced by walking improve your mood and boost your self-esteem.

Try it out and your body fitness will be forever grateful!

2 Daily walks reduce your stress

Driving to work is always followed by side problems, like getting stuck in a traffic jam or interacting with angry drivers, or arriving at work late for one of the previously mentioned reasons. The list of problems goes on. And where there are problems there is stress.

Lucky for you, by practicing walking to work those problems and increased stress levels disappear.

3 Physical activity helps you clear your mind

Life is moving at a fast pace. As such, it is not surprising that in a long day you don’t have even a second to think about what happened or what is happening, let alone what will happen. One thing that can help you overcome chaotic life moments is having time to think.

Walking to and from work forces you to look around, pay attention to what’s happening outside of the four walls, and engage your mind. You might solve some long-running problems when looking at them with a clear mind.

4 Walking boosts your work performance

All healthy habits, including walking, positively affect your mood, energy, and daily productivity. If you’re feeling energized and motivated, ready to conquer any obstacle that comes your way, you’ll be more prepared to confront your tasks at work.

Walking nurtures your well-being which directly reflects on your work performance.

5 Walking to work will save you money

Let’s be honest, the economic situation globally isn’t great, to put it lightly. If there’s a chance for you to save some money, why not use it? Avoid spending a fortune on gas or public transportation.

Walk to work and save money for something you’ll be needing – better walking shoes.

6 Sustainable habits are good for the environment

Be a part of a community and gravitate towards the same greater goal – the well-being of our planet. Arguably, there’s no better feeling than doing something good for others. By walking you’ll be doing something good not only for others but also yourself. Lower your carbon footprint by making walking your new daily habit.

With the innovative technology of our KINTO Join sustainability app, you can calculate the amount of CO2 you save by walking in real-time. How is that possible? Our team can help you understand.

7 A way to connect with your colleagues: KINTO Join and a walking journey

Building a bond with your colleagues takes time and is more likely to happen outside of the office.

The KINTO Join app can help you even with that. If colleagues are going in the same direction as you, use walking back home as an opportunity to verify your journey together and connect with them on a deeper level. There are no cons there. You get a verification that your commute was sustainable and a friend all at the same time.

Adopting sustainable habits is anything but a linear process. It comes with ups and downs, the urge to quit as soon as things don’t go your way, and constant reevaluation if you made the right choice. Walking to work is a decision you’ll be glad you took, both tomorrow and years from now.

Sustainability is a choice worth making.