Criteria for the allocation of parking spaces in companies
Please note: Everything said in this article is based on the situation and the laws in Germany.
Did you leave a little early this morning because you had to allow the obligatory ten minutes to find a parking space around the office? Or because you wanted to get to the company parking lot early to be sure of getting a spot? You wouldn't be alone in that. For many employees, it's part of an unwanted morning ritual. Corporate parking is a challenge whose complexity increases with the number of employees. Yet there are solutions that would make it much easier to allocate parking spaces in companies.
Legal regulations for the distribution of parking spaces
First, let's take a look at the current situation and ask the question: Do employees have a legal right to a parking space? The simple and at the same time unambiguous answer is: No. Only one situation invalidates this principle: If the workplace is located in such a way that it cannot be reached by means of public transport, an employer must ensure that parking spaces are provided.
Regardless of this, however, many companies voluntarily provide parking spaces. On the one hand, this is because a large proportion of the workforce still travels by car and a parking space enables them to start work on time. On the other hand, from the employees' point of view, parking spaces are definitely considered a benefit because they enable a stress-free journey and safe parking of the vehicle.
Who has a say in corporate parking?
If present, the works council has a say in the allocation of parking spaces and must be involved in this issue accordingly. In addition, the allocation of parking spaces falls under the General Equal Treatment Act. Women can be guaranteed a preference for parking spaces that shorten the way to the workplace and are well lit, i.e., allow for increased safety.
In the case of severely disabled employees, the individual case must often be considered. In principle, they have a right to a working environment that is designed to be barrier-free, which can also lead to the creation of appropriate parking spaces if they are not available.
The three classic principles of allocation of parking spaces
Depending on the size of the company, the weighting of the following principles is certainly distributed differently - in principle, however, they are most frequently applied:
Allocation on the basis of length of membership
Loyalty must be rewarded. Those who remain with a company for a long time become entitled to a parking space over time - the longer they stay at the company, the shorter the distances to the workplace.
Allocation based on the hierarchy
The higher the position in the company, the higher the probability of being provided with a parking space. Allocation according to this principle is not a violation of the AGG.
Allocation on the basis of arrival
The rule here is: first come, first served. The earlier you start work, the higher the probability of being able to use one of the parking spaces.
Ultimately, all these approaches have one problem in common: they are rigid in their allocation and the utilization of the parking space fluctuates greatly. In particular, permanently allocated parking spaces often remain empty when people are on vacation, on a business trip, or working remotely. Shared use may then be negotiated among employees, but it is not a permanent solution that incorporates the parking pressure prevailing on site.
Switch to digital parking management provides remedy
This is exactly where parkoneer comes in, in order to make parking in private areas fairer and to minimize fluctuations in utilization through dynamization. For more information, please visit our Office Parking & Employee Parking page.
