Development

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Identifying Top Business Practices in Strong Work Cultures

I am a firm believer that an organization’s work culture will determine employee longevity and overall success or shortcomings for a company.  While the Keurig coffee machines and donuts are appreciated when supplied, culture goes beyond these types of perks and instead centers on professionalism, understanding and respect across an entire department.  I also believe most working employees strive to perform their jobs efficiently with favorable behavioral patterns.  It is the primary responsibility of leadership to guide and maintain positive working cultures, which includes the below: Engaging management style Encourages staff on a consistent basis, promotes an open line of positive communication, provides constructive feedback and also at the same time looks for feedback Diversity Provides equal opportunities to different backgrounds, relies on a team with differing experiences to provide forward thinking solutions Involvement, support, growth Recommends growth and development, offers training resources and encourages higher education and/or certification, involves team members with new projects to enhance skills, promotes group activities Work-life-balance Respects staff and time away from work and establishes boundaries, designates tasks to the appropriate team members, considering flexible scheduling, leading by example Compensation For management positions with routine scheduling demands outside and in addition to normal business hours, matching salaries to reflect the nature of the position and work performed Our work environments continue to evolve, and staffing challenges continue to impact all service industries.   Companies coming out on top with talent and high retention rates are those promoting strong work cultures while demonstrating modern work practices, and these organizations are the leading industry innovators.    Zach Pearce is an Associate Director of Operations at Old Dominion University. Zach can be reached at zpearce@odu.edu.

Goals in the mobility and parking industry
Development IPMI Blog Planning

A New Year Means New Opportunities

We all know about New Year’s Resolutions and sayings like “New Year, New Me.” Sometimes, these resolutions are jumping-off points for positive life changes. Often, they are forgotten or given up by the end of January, but hey, it’s the thought that counts, right?! What is always true with the turn of the year is that new opportunities lie ahead.  That can mean many different things to many different people.  The pace at which our industry is moving is faster than ever, and if you’re reading this blog, it means you, too, have an entire 12 months ahead of you to take advantage of new opportunities. Whether you’re a technology provider hustling to grow your business, a municipal or higher-ed operator searching for ways to improve the parking experience for your constituents or students, or a parking asset owner looking to maximize revenue across your entire portfolio, 2025 is a blank slate. No matter the resolutions or goals you’ve set for yourself, personally and professionally, it’s important to keep things in perspective and define what really matters to you. One of my college friends recently mailed me a book called “The Daily Dad” by Ryan Holiday, as we’re both early in our fatherhood journeys.  In a book filled with memorable quotes & lessons, a certain one stuck out to me.  Holiday writes: “Who you are is more important than what you do.  I’d rather you be good than successful.  Character is more important than cash”. I hope we all had the chance to relax and spend time with family throughout the holiday season.  As we prepare to get after it in 2025 and chase all of our goals, let’s make sure to do it the right way.  Because who you are will always be more important than what you do. Anthony Caddell is a Regional Sales Director for Passport. Anthony can be reached at anthony.caddell@passportinc.com.

Changing work environment
Development IPMI Blog Planning

Growth & Changing Work Environments

Leaving a well-established role and organization for a new opportunity is often bittersweet for those taking the next step in their career.  When assessing skills gained, accomplishments, growth patterns, and culture, employees often are able to dial in on compatibility, growth, and longevity, as early as the initial employment review cycle. However, many of us find work environments to be extremely complex and continually evolving which can either shorten or prolong career trajectory.       When I left my previous position at another University, I found the most difficult aspect to be the ending of strong professional relationships which had been built over an extended period.  Many of these relationships were former customers with frequent complex parking requirements, and I took enjoyment in the cross-campus-cross-health-system collaborations to provide essential access services in unique environments. Prior to leaving any role, we should always aim to leave the departing organization in the best position possible, and this frequently includes the updating of documentation and ‘playbooks’ so company management/leadership and incoming team members are well positioned for efficient transitions.  We eagerly expect the same when accepting new roles, although frequently this may not be the case.  I find this to be especially relevant when acknowledging the various software systems in a Parking & Transportation operation.  Coming into any new organization, parallels typically exist yet we need to be aware earlier in our stints the importance of re-learning, adapting, understanding the working dynamics of a new team, and quickly identifying our stakeholders.  While certain successful practices may be transferrable from one organization to another, you can count on instances where this will not be the case, all due to varying environmental factors.  Therefore when starting new roles it’s best to consider early on how to ‘un-think’. Zach Pearce is an Associate Director of Operations at Old Dominion University. Zach can be reached at zpearce@odu.edu.

THA Consulting logo - Navigating the Parking, Mobility, and Development Planning Journey Presented by THA Consulting
Development Finance Parking Facilities Planning

Navigating the Parking, Mobility, and Development Planning Journey Presented by THA Consulting

Hormann logo - Parking Building Design – What You Need to Know About High Performance Doors Presented by Hörmann
Design Development Parking Facilities

Parking Building Design - What You Need to Know About High Performance Doors Presented by Hörmann

gtechna logo - Insights on how Galveston Established a Precedent in Texas State Laws Presented by gtechna
Development Parking Facilities Parking Lots Planning Technology

Best Approach to Acquiring Parking Tech & Drawbacks to the Traditional RFP Presented by gtechna