Big freeze creates real problems for employers – but combination of common sense and technology offer solutions for many

02 February 2009

The severe weather affecting much of Britain today is causing real problems for employers. However, a combination of technology and common sense on the part of employers and employees can minimise the impact for many, according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Where people can log in to work from home – and many more can do this than last time snow caused such severe disruption, particularly in London and the South East – or where the time can be used to focus on thinking time, there is a real opportunity to minimise the cost to business of the travel chaos, according to the Institute.

However, many employers will be badly affected, with many job roles not able to be fulfilled through home working and other employees left with extra childcare responsibilities as schools close down because of the snow. In these cases difficult decisions on how to manage employees who have not been able to make it into work will have to be made.

Rebecca Clake, Organisation and Resourcing Adviser at the CIPD, said:

Wired big freeze – and time to think

“This is the most wired ‘big freeze’ we’ve ever had. With advances in technology, more and more people are able to work from home – at least to some degree. Companies that have put in place the technology and management practices to allow their people to work flexibly in normal times can reap the rewards today, as thousands of people log on from their living rooms and bedrooms to keep the knowledge economy ticking over.

“Even those employees stuck at home without access to their desks and work emails may be able to get onto some of those ‘when I have a spare moment’ tasks. This could be a kind of weather-enforced opportunity for employees to innovate. Who knows how many bright ideas might come out of the thinking time many employees will have today if they choose to put their minds to it?

“The crude millions-of-pounds estimates of the cost to the economy of events like today’s weather inevitably bring from some business organisations don’t take into account the resilience of the millions of motivated workers who will be getting round the travel chaos in these ways.

Managing employees unable to get to work or affected by school closures

“Of course, many types of work simply cannot be done from home, and some employers will be struggling to operate their businesses today. These employers will be working hard to get those employees who have made it in to operate the business as best they can, even if that means turning their hands to tasks not normally part of their day jobs.

“Employees can reasonably be expected to do their best to get into work on foot, or where travel is less badly affected. Where employees are genuinely unable to get in, and this can be demonstrated to the employer, decisions will have to be taken as to whether to allow line managers to use their discretion in granting special leave, whether to require employees to take annual leave, or whether to shut down operations altogether – as many schools have done today. There is no right or wrong answer to these questions, but employers must take care to be consistent in the way that they make the necessary decisions – guided by existing policies where relevant.

The need for common sense

“Overall, much of this comes down to common sense. Employees should have the sense to try to get in without taking unnecessary risks. But also to speak to their employers if they are unable to get in, and not just treat the snow as automatic permission to take an unannounced holiday. Equally, employers should make clear to employees that they should not risk life and limb to get to work, and be understanding if employees need to leave early to avoid getting stranded unnecessarily on their way home – particularly if conditions worsen during the working day. Where employees are required to drive for work, employers also have a health and safety duty to ensure drivers are allowed extra time to complete journeys and factor in alternative routes – and that they are not pressurised to complete any journeys made dangerously difficult by the weather.”

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