Brrrr it is chilly out there! It is that time of year when we begin to think how bad weather might affect our business. Maybe you put plans in place for transporting goods and supplies, you make sure the computers get backed up regularly, you had the heating serviced (we hope you did!), and you buy grit or salt for the car park.
Did you think to talk to your staff about what happens if they can’t get to work? What is the communication plan on days when you wake up to a thick blanket of snow? What arrangements have you made for them to be able to work remotely and have you been clear with them about whether you would expect them to do so, or take unpaid leave or use holiday if they can’t get in to work.
Is the answer different depending on whether you close the business due to the bad weather, compared to if you manage to open the business but they can’t get in to work? What is your plan if the disruption lasts more than a day or two?
We’d suggest drawing up a policy to cover all of these considerations before the weather gets bad…and if you already have a plan from previous years check that it still meets your requirements.