There’s Snow Business….
The snow has melted, the roads are open, people are commuting to work, and everything is back to normal.
How did your business cope with the snow storms last week? Could your employees get in to the office? Was it a struggle? Did you miss deadlines and meetings? Is your P & L going to suffer?
Experts have forecast that disruption caused by the snow and low temperatures last week could cost the UK economy £1 billion a day. The blizzards and snow led to drivers being stranded on motorways, rail passengers facing cancellations or stuck on trains that couldn’t move, while building work stopped, shops and restaurants lost trade and businesses were unable to reach their customers. And now the snows are melting the weather forecasters are predicting floods. Great!
It’s not often that Britain’s weather patterns have such a drastic impact on business performance, and it always seems to come as a surprise when a few inches of snow shut down an entire economy. But there is another way…
We know we go on about it quite a lot, but the recent snow has given businesses time to reflect on whether their working practices really work. More and more companies are finding that flexible working is the way forwards; if your employees are already connected at home and used to remote working, then snow days like those last week won’t have any adverse effects on your business.
Here at Ten2Two Hampshire we’re used to working remotely, so while the snow blocked the roads around the office in Fleet, it was business as usual with staff working from their homes in Basingstoke and Winchester.
With today’s technologies there are no excuses (except for power cuts, but let’s not go there) for organisations in the UK to grind to a halt because of snow. Conference and collaboration solutions are readily available, cost-effective and very easy to use, so it is well worth companies’ outlays to avoid unnecessary down time and loss of revenue.
Where do we start?!
Here are some of our favourite statistics:
83% of employers agree that flexible working has benefitted their business
82% or remote workers report lower stress levels than their office-based counterparts
78% of businesses see an improvement in staff retention
67% of businesses experience a reduction in absenteeism.
Any other benefits?
Businesses can save money in terms of office space which is one of the biggest overheads for small- and medium-sized businesses. Workforces become more empowered and motivated, which leads to better customer service and increased customer loyalty. It also brings reduced levels of sickness absence and working hours that best suit your employees and customers. Flexible working could save your employees 27 days a year which are currently spent commuting, which is fantastic for the environment, wellbeing and those stress levels, and everyone’s bank balances.
If you’d like to talk to one of our experts and find our more about how flexible working could be a boost to your business, please call us on 01252 856862.
