Written by: Zarah Mae Torrazo is the Head of Content at Spacer Technologies, where she leads content creation for Parkhound, Spacer.com, Spacer.com.au, and WhereiPark.
With nearly a decade of experience in digital content, Zarah specializes in crafting engaging, SEO-optimized writing that bridges both B2B and B2C audiences. Her work spans a wide range of industries from real estate and finance to mobility, health, and tech, with a focus on turning complex ideas into clear, actionable insights.
At WhereiPark, Zarah writes extensively about multifamily property management, urban mobility trends, and the monetization of underused assets like parking. She’s particularly passionate about the sharing economy and its power to reshape how people and businesses access space, transport, and opportunity.
Edited by: Sofia Nolasco leads B2B marketing at WhereiPark, supporting real estate partners and businesses in monetizing underused parking assets. With a strong background in content and digital strategy, she helps communicate the value of flexible parking solutions to asset managers, developers, and operations teams across North America. Her work bridges the gap between property owners and drivers, with a focus on performance marketing, storytelling, and long-term partnership growth.
Reading time: 14 mins
With offices filling back up, parking has become both a challenge and an opportunity. Property owners can monetize unused spaces, while employers can use parking access to support their workforce. Read below to see how WhereiPark helps both property owners and employers manage parking in the RTO era.
Return-to-office (RTO) policies are changing how North American companies operate. Five years after the remote work boom ushered in by the Covid-19 pandemic, many major companies are now requiring employees to return to the office full or part-time.
According to Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), over half, or 54% of Fortune 100 businesses now mandate their employees return to the office full-time for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Broader workplace surveys echo the same trend. According to WTW, 61% of companies now require employees to spend a minimum number of days in the office each week, underscoring the shift back toward in-person work. A 2024 Pew Research Center survey also showed 75% of employees who aren’t fully remote said their employer now requires some in-person work, up from 63% in 2023.
Some firms require five days in the office. Others are mandating two or three. In both cases, commuting is on the rise. And more cars on the road means more pressure on corporate infrastructure, especially when it comes to parking.
So in this article, we’ll examine both sides of the return-to-office. Parking demand is rising again, and both property owners/managers and employers are being forced to rethink how spaces are used. For property owners, that means turning vacant parking into revenue. For employers, it means providing scalable, affordable parking for staff.
The push back to the office has put traffic and parking pressure right back on workers. Longer commutes, higher parking costs, and limited availability are directly affecting how employees feel about the RTO mandates.
“When I speak with building owners and employers, parking comes up as one of the first challenges,” says Joshua Eisen, the Chief Revenue Officer at WhereiPark, who works directly with employers and property owners to find the right parking solutions.
But he highlighted that this is not just about employees wanting to avoid the stress of commuting. “This isn’t just an employee frustration issue. It hits the bottom line. If companies don’t plan for parking, they risk paying premium rates in business districts or losing talent to firms that make commuting easier,” he explained.
The return to office is creating ripple effects across cities and workplaces, showing up in three major ways:
If you’re an employer looking to ease this pressure or a property owner looking to put unused spaces to work, WhereiPark connects both sides with parking solutions. By securing dedicated parking spaces or linking to nearby shuttle lots, companies can reduce RTO friction for staff, while property owners capture value from underutilized assets.
Return-to-office planning impacts not only work schedules but also access to parking and the way buildings operate.
For property owners, it means rethinking how to monetize or manage parking supply. For employers, it means ensuring staff have reliable, affordable access to spaces that support retention and productivity.
With RTO driving up demand for parking, vacant spaces represent untapped value for property owners. When with property managers and owners, Sam Robins, the Business Development Manager for Multi-Family, often highlights the hidden cost of leaving parking spaces unused.
“Vacant parking still costs money to maintain. Owners still pay to maintain, insure, and secure those spaces,” Mr. Robins explained.
But he noted that when those spaces are leased, the overhead is offset and the property begins generating reliable income. “When they’re put to work, they’re not only earning a steady income, they’re strengthening the long-term asset,” he added.
Leasing out vacant parking turns a cost center into an income stream, offering three clear advantages for property owners and building managers:
At 240 Wellesley Street East, more than 100 parking stalls were sitting empty despite strong neighborhood demand. By listing just 40 of those spaces on WhereiPark, the property filled them within weeks and now generates over $50,000 in recurring annual revenue. Read the full case study here.
Ready to earn from unused parking? Discover how with WhereiPark.
For employers, parking plays a direct role in employee experience and retention. Access to reliable parking affects attendance, morale, and costs as workers return to their commute routines.
A survey of over 400 HR professionals found that more than one-third reported commuter benefits helped encourage employees to return to the office. Employers also cited advantages like cost savings for employees, meeting environmental goals, and improving talent acquisition and retention.
“Companies underestimate how quickly parking costs add up for employees,” Mr. Eisen explained. “We’ve seen teams lose talent when staff are forced to pay $300 to $500 a month just to park near the office. Providing scalable, affordable parking has become a retention tool for companies.”
He further warned that the financial impact goes beyond lost talent. “Replacing staff is expensive, and the costs of recruitment, onboarding, and lost productivity often outweigh the expense of providing parking support,” he added.
Gone are the glory days of ping-pong tables and pizza Fridays as office perks. To help employees return to othe ffice, employers must focus on three commuter needs:
Companies can bulk-book monthly parking spots with WhereiPark, giving employees guaranteed spaces near the office. It’s a simple way to reduce commuting stress and keep costs predictable.
Partner with WhereiPark to secure scalable, affordable employee parking.
Parking is more than a line item or something to tick off your to-do list. It sits at the intersection of what employees need and what property managers want to deliver. When handled strategically, it creates value on both sides.
A shared interest: Property owners want satisfied tenants. Employers want a workforce that can get to the office without stress. Reliable parking supports both goals.
Stronger relationships: Parking has become a key point of collaboration. When property managers offer options like dedicated sections for corporate tenants or flexible monthly passes, lease discussions run more smoothly and partnerships last longer.
A growing expectation: Employers now expect property managers to help address commuting. Shared approaches to parking, from reserved blocks of spaces to tech-enabled booking platforms, are increasingly viewed as a standard amenity.
Mr Eisen further explained: “Parking has moved from being an afterthought to a real factor in workplace planning. Property owners who work with tenants on scalable parking solutions are creating a clear advantage in a competitive market.”
Employers and property managers face the same challenge. It’s parking that scales with hybrid work and supports long-term occupancy. WhereiPark was built to bridge that gap.
Want to see how this works in practice? Read about real examples of property owners and employers using WhereiPark to solve their parking challenges.
The return to office is reshaping how people commute, and that puts fresh pressure on parking. For property owners, it creates a chance to monetize underused spaces and strengthen asset value. For employers, it is about giving staff accessible, predictable parking that supports retention and makes the office return smoother.
WhereiPark helps make parking work. Whether you are a property manager looking to generate steady income or a company sourcing commuter solutions for your workforce, we help turn parking into a strategic advantage.
Zarah Mae Torrazo is the Head of Content at Spacer Technologies, where she leads content creation for Parkhound, Spacer.com, Spacer.com.au, and WhereiPark.
With nearly a decade of experience in digital content, Zarah specializes in crafting engaging, SEO-optimized writing that bridges both B2B and B2C audiences. Her work spans a wide range of industries from real estate and finance to mobility, health, and tech, with a focus on turning complex ideas into clear, actionable insights.
At WhereiPark, Zarah writes extensively about multifamily property management, urban mobility trends, and the monetization of underused assets like parking. She’s particularly passionate about the sharing economy and its power to reshape how people and businesses access space, transport, and opportunity.
Zarah Mae Torrazo is the Head of Content at Spacer Technologies, where she leads content creation for Parkhound, Spacer.com, Spacer.com.au, and WhereiPark.
With nearly a decade of experience in digital content, Zarah specializes in crafting engaging, SEO-optimized writing that bridges both B2B and B2C audiences. Her work spans a wide range of industries from real estate and finance to mobility, health, and tech, with a focus on turning complex ideas into clear, actionable insights.
At WhereiPark, Zarah writes extensively about multifamily property management, urban mobility trends, and the monetization of underused assets like parking. She’s particularly passionate about the sharing economy and its power to reshape how people and businesses access space, transport, and opportunity.
This will close in 0 seconds
This will close in 0 seconds
