Hivernant Of Business

It looks like we’re in for yet another cold, snowy winter. According to the Close Business Barometer, a survey of SME’s across the UK, more than half of business in the Yorkshire region and The Humber were worried about the effect that weather would have on their businesses this year. The survey also found that more than a quarter of businesses don’t have a business continuity management plan in place, so they are ill prepared to deal with power failures, absenteeism, and other weather related issues.
In this world of high-tech business telecoms systems, instant communication and remote working opportunities, it makes no sense to fail to plan for bad weather. Sadly, many people think that business continuity management planning is something that should be reserved for earthquake prone countries. High winds, snow, and ice don’t figure on the agenda, in spite of those conditions being common, and having a far-reaching impact on many industries.
Simple Plans Can Save Your Business
A business continuity plan does not have to be a complicated document. All you need to cover is the basics. Make arrangements for employees to work at home. Set up your business telecoms systems so that you can easily re-route important calls to the work mobile phones of certain employees, and lay out a policy that details how staff shortages will be handled.
Safety First
If your business requires some staff members to be physically present in the office, then try to make arrangements with employees that live close to your building. They may be willing to cover the shifts of more distant workers, if they are properly compensated for it. Don’t put too much pressure on your employees, though, as that can seriously damage morale, especially at this time of year.
Make sure that workers living in more remote areas don’t feel pressured to brave extreme weather to make it to work on time. Encourage them to take public transport if they can, and try to be understanding if they’re a little late when the weather is especially bad. The last thing you want to see is an employee trying to drive in dangerous conditions and getting involved in an accident.
Winter Sickness
Colds and flu tend to be more common during the winter, and this is something that you should plan for. Make sure your employees understand the company sickness policy, and try to encourage them to take time off when they are genuinely ill, so that they don’t spread their germs to other staff members.
It may be a good idea to invest in hand sanitizers for the office, to prevent the spread of germs. Also, consider putting up a few signs to encourage people to take basic precautions such as washing their hands after going to the rest room, sneezing into tissues, and washing their hands at lunch time. This may sound like basic, school level advice, but it’s something that often gets overlooked by one or two people in a large office; and all it takes to spread colds and flu is one or two inconsiderate people.