As someone who works at Woodfield Mall, the struggle to find a parking space that is remotely close to the entrance is stressful and very rare. Locations for parking are crowded, especially on weekends, and we end up having to park absurdly far away from the mall entrance. The lack of designated employee parking spaces presents a significant inconvenience to us. The absence of such a policy not only affects employees but also the visitors to the mall, adding unnecessary stress and congestion to the parking situation.

Studies have shown that crowded parking lots can deter potential customers from visiting the mall (source: Journal of Retailing). Offering parking facilities exclusive to employees could effectively reduce the crowding, presenting a more welcoming environment for our esteemed patrons.

The matter at hand is not just a question of convenience, but also of ensuring better overall work conditions and security for the employees and offering an improved experience for visitors. Employee satisfaction and wellbeing directly contribute to increased productivity and better customer service (source: Harvard Business Review). The sense of security with the presence of a dedicated employee area will promote the attractiveness of working for Woodfield as well.

I also find it mandatory to call attention to the safety threat this poses to Woodfield workers. A good deal of employees at the mall are High-school students. As a sixteen year old girl, I fear the walk to my car after a closing shift each week. The significant distance from the exit to my vehicle exponentially increases my chances of being faced with an uncomfortable or harmful situation. This is most prominent in cases when my coworker and I are parked far from each other, leaving us to walk alone, which is every week. My responsibility in working at Woodfield is to provide satisfactory customer service, not to feel anxious or unsafe. Employee protection starts with employee consideration.

Thus, we respectfully call upon the mall management to promptly act upon this and implement a dedicated parking area for employees. This improvement will not only benefit the employees, but also offer much more organization and security to everyone involved with the mall’s operations. This small step can go a long way in showing consideration for employees who strive to maintain the mall's operations efficiently and contribute to an enhanced shopping experience for everyone else. Please show your support by signing this petition.