Based on our data, on average, an employee spends 10.4% of their day driving to work, and over 21.7% of employees travel more than 50km to work each day.
When it comes to designing the future of work, one size fits none. Discovering success isn’t about a hybrid model or offering remote work options. Individuals and organizations are looking for more freedom. The freedom to choose the work model that makes the most sense. The freedom to choose their own values. And the freedom to pursue what matters most. We reached out to successful leaders and thought leaders across all industries to glean their insights and predictions about how to create a future that works.
As a part of our interview series called “How Employers and Employees are Reworking Work Together,” we had the pleasure to interview Garret Flower.
Garret Flower is CEO of Wayleadr, is the leader in arrival technology that has powered 1 million journeys through its innovative and easy to use software solutions. Wayleadr, which counts the likes of Uber and Sanofi among its client base, and has created one tech stack with all the features, data insights & integrations a company needs to connect our smart buildings with smart vehicles and revolutionise the commuting experience.
Garret is an experienced entrepreneur and innovator specialising in Proptech,, and has been featured among Ireland’s business leaders “30 under 30” in 2017 & 2018.
Previously Garret founded the company Krüst Bakery in Ireland, a wholesale, retail and catering company that employs 25 full-time employees.
Thank you for making time to visit with us about the topic of our time. Let’s zoom out. What do you predict will be the same about work, the workforce and the workplace 10–15 years from now? What do you predict will be different?
My experience and passion for innovating in the workplace leads me to believe that hybrid work will remain a universal preference across the globe. The COVID-19 pandemic has hastened the trend toward hybrid work, and many workers will likely continue to favour this choice.
In the near future, we will witness a significant shift towards eco-friendly and more efficient transportation options for commuting, as well as the utilisation of smart technology to optimise parking and office spaces. The pandemic has taught us that traditional commuting patterns can be disrupted, and this will lead to more flexible work arrangements and a reduction in the need for dedicated desks, which cause major headaches for employers as they try to forecast both who and how people will commute to the office. Many organisations worldwide are intending to adopt hot-desking to make better use of space. As a result, commuting will become more convenient, comfortable, and eco-friendly.
What advice would you offer to employers who want to future-proof their organizations?
My advice to employers is to view commuting as an investment, rather than a cost.
With the demand for parking gradually increasing, employers must consider a new management model to support the number of employees returning to the offices. Especially during the midweek periods, where traffic volume is at its highest from Tuesdays through Thursdays and lowest Mondays and Fridays.
Investing in last-mile technology that provides features such as booking management, enables a fully optimised commute for employees, saving the most valuable commodity of all; time. Such platforms allow employers and landlords to manage the allocation of parking spaces automatically, rather than manually via time-consuming spreadsheets or messaging groups. Last mile technology, or ‘arrival technology’, minimises the need for human input, allowing employees to check availability, book spaces and release parking spots all through their phones.
For example; Alstom, a sustainable mobility leader, faced severe issues with car spacing in their parking lot, leading to temporary closures of some areas. They had assigned parking slots for key employees, with the rest being first-come, first-served. Unoccupied spaces caused inconvenience and wasted time for employees. To address this problem, they opted for parking management software, Wayleadr which automated and optimised parking allocation, including assigned slots for key employees. The software was integrated with the access gate, resulting in a hands-free parking management system. The outcome was a 100% occupancy rate for the parking lot, increased employee satisfaction, and saved hours in parking management.
What do you predict will be the biggest gaps between what employers are willing to offer and what employees expect as we move forward? And what strategies would you offer about how to reconcile those gaps?
It’s possible that some employees who are currently working from home may prefer to work in the office instead. They may be tired of paying high energy bills or feel that their home workspace is not ideal for productivity. However, these employees may not know that returning to the office is an option if communication is lacking. In short, communicating with employees is an effective way to encourage them to come back to the office.
On the other hand, some employees may prefer to continue working from home as they believe it’s more environmentally friendly. By communicating your organization’s environmental goals, you can demonstrate to these employees that they can still contribute to a green community by returning to the office.
If you want employees to come back to the office, you can make the commute easier for them by addressing common issues. For example, you can implement parking solutions to optimize space and offer more flexible work arrangements. This will improve the commuting experience for employees, making it more appealing to come to the office.
We simultaneously joined a global experiment together last year called “Working From Home.” How will this experience influence the future of work?
In the past five years, there has been a significant shift in the way people work globally, with many employees transitioning from working in the office full-time to working entirely from home for nearly two years, followed by a return to a new form of hybrid work.
Fortunately, some normalcy has returned to workplaces over the past year, and people are starting to return to work, making the workplace more vibrant. However, the pandemic has led to changes, and most companies have incorporated hybrid and remote working into their working strategies.
As businesses strive to return to the office, new work models are emerging that change how employees commute to work and how employers allocate office space. Employers are constantly rethinking their working models to adapt to their needs and predict the general market’s direction. This allows for innovation while keeping up with the trends that are expected to shape the way we work.
What is your greatest source of optimism about the future of work?
There has been a significant shift in the workplace over the last three years, yet the world’s ability to adapt to sudden change is inspiring and gives me hope for the future. The pandemic accelerated the adoption of remote work which has created more flexible and inclusive work environments and has provided a chance for workers to have more control over their work-life balance, and potentially to work for companies that they previously would not have been able to.
While automation, AI, and flexible jobs can lead to some job displacement and economic disruption in the short term, it has the potential to greatly enhance productivity, improve quality of life, and create new opportunities for human workers in the long term. It’s also refreshing to see people making developments in new skills that are helping them stay relevant in the workforce.
It seems like there’s a new headline every day. ‘The Great Resignation’. ‘The Great Reconfiguration’. And now the ‘Great Reevaluation’. What are the most important messages leaders need to hear from these headlines? How do company cultures need to evolve?
There has been a significant shift in the workplace over the last three years, yet the world’s ability to adapt to sudden change is inspiring and gives me hope for the future. The pandemic accelerated the adoption of remote work which has created more flexible and inclusive work environments and has provided a chance for workers to have more control over their work-life balance, and potentially to work for companies that they previously would not have been able to.
While automation, AI, and flexible jobs can lead to some job displacement and economic disruption in the short term, it has the potential to greatly enhance productivity, improve quality of life, and create new opportunities for human workers in the long term. It’s also refreshing to see people making developments in new skills that are helping them stay relevant in the workforce.
Let’s get more specific. What are your “Top 5 Trends To Track In the Future of Work?”
According to our recent Arrival Index Report in which analysed how over 10,000 employees globally travel to work, we can reveal the following trends that are shaping the future of work and commuting:
Trend 1: Office Occupancy Is On The Rise
After examining data on parking and desk bookings, it was discovered that office occupancy increased by 4.75% from 49.25% in 2021 to 54% in 2022. Wayleadr’s data shows that in 2021, the lowest car park occupancy rates were in January (43.4%) and the highest were in September (53.92%). In 2022, January had the lowest occupancy rate (44.9%), and November had the highest (58.59%).
The increase in occupancy from January to March 2022 (9%) can be attributed to employees returning to the office post-COVID. Due to safety concerns regarding COVID-19, public transportation, shared mobility services, and carpooling were considered less safe, leading to more people driving to work.
While some employees have moved farther away from cities and embraced flexible work, resulting in longer commutes but less frequent ones. As demand for parking gradually increases, employers must consider new management models, especially during midweek periods when daily traffic volume is highest from Tuesdays to Thursdays and lowest on Mondays and Fridays.
Trend 2: There Is Surging Demand For EV Facilities In Car Parks
According to research conducted by LMC Automotive and EV-Volumes.com, EVs accounted for 10% of all new cars sold in 2022. From January to August 2022, EV parking spaces had an occupancy rate of over 70%, with a 100% occupancy rate in March, April, and July. This indicates the growing number of EV users and the need for more EV spaces in office car parks. However, the current number of EV charging stations is insufficient to meet the demand.
Furthermore, the US Department of Energy has recently allocated $42 million to develop more affordable and efficient advanced EVs in the US for 2023. Electric vehicle sales in America have tripled since the start of the Biden Administration, and the projects announced will make EVs more attractive to drivers by improving battery efficiency, resiliency, and affordability. As the demand for electric vehicles rapidly grows, car park managers should be concerned about how to accommodate this new mode of transportation, as current data shows they are unprepared to handle the demand.
Increasing the number of EV parking spaces and providing adequate charging will not only satisfy the needs of EV-driving employees but also positively impact many businesses’ corporate social and environmental responsibility goals.
Trend 3: Employees Spend A Considerable Amount Of Time Commuting
Based on our data, on average, an employee spends 10.4% of their day driving to work, and over 21.7% of employees travel more than 50km to work each day.
According to Statista’s Global Consumer Survey, the majority of American commuters (76%) use their cars to travel to and from work, while only 11% use public transportation and 10% cycle. The long commuting distances, also known as “super-commuting,” contribute to why some individuals do not see returning to work as a valuable use of their time. The number of super-commuters in the United States increased by 45% between 2010 and 2019, according to an analysis by Apartment List. In 2019, 4.6 million Americans commuted for longer than 90 minutes one way.
Employers should ensure that they have enough parking spaces available, particularly for those employees who travel long distances or are super-commuters.
Trend 4: Office Car Parks Are Not Equipped To Handle EVs
According to Wayleadr’s findings, just 1% of parking spots are equipped with EV charging facilities, while only 9% of employee car parks have them. Despite the fact that 400,000 electric vehicles were sold in the US last year, the country only has 48,000 public EV charging stations, compared to 150,000 gas stations. As more vehicles require access to workplace and depot chargers, employers must prioritise power supply and determine the sequence for charging EVs, balance charging to stay within site capacity, and optimise charging time to take advantage of lower-priced off-peak energy tariffs. Our data shows that if EVs are the future, office car parks are not adequately prepared to handle the demand.
Trend 5: Reserved Parking Spaces Are Decreasing In Popularity Among Businesses
68% of parking spaces are now allocated on a hybrid basis. 32% are still allocated on a fixed basis. This shows that the days of reserved parking are nearing an end.
Parking policies often reflect company cultures. For instance, if a management structure is flat, its parking policies should reflect this and everyone is deserving of a space. Employers need to consider carefully whether they want to provide employee benefits based on seniority. This strategy has benefits that include maintaining the satisfaction of your highest-paid staff. Theoretically, more content senior management should lead to a more prosperous company. However, many companies are attempting to do away with obvious hierarchical arrangements. When the parking lot serves as a continual reminder of inequality, it may seem difficult to reassure employees that everyone is treated equally.
I keep quotes on my desk and on scraps of paper to stay inspired. What’s your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? And how has this quote shaped your perspective?
Aim Higher Than You Believe is Possible
I have always dreamed big. My grandfather and JFK were close friends, and my mother has vivid memories of me playing as a child in the Oval Office. My mother always told me I was bound for great things as I was growing up. This constant reinforcement has given me the self-assurance to take on projects that other people would consider crazy or foolish. I founded the green energy company Esound Energy at the age of 20, the golf company Esport Golf at the age of 22, the bakery Krüst at the age of 23, and the technology company Parkpnp at the age of 27. My life’s ambition is to live to 150 and make a significant difference in the world.
We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He, she, or they might just see this if we tag them.
If I could speak with anyone alive or dead, Steve Jobs has to be the first individual that comes to mind. Mostly because of his innovative and passionate mentality, but also because of his fascinating life story. I’m constantly inspired by entrepreneurs who experienced hardships as children and would love to hear about what it was like building a company from nothing. I’ve always been intrigued by his unconventional but effective leadership approach.
Our readers often like to continue the conversation with our featured interviewees. How can they best connect with you and stay current on what you’re discovering?
LinkedIn: @GarretFlower
Twitter: @GarretFlower
Thank you for sharing your insights and predictions. We appreciate the gift of your time and wish you continued success and good health.