Preparing Your Office For Bad Weather
While some areas suffer heavy snow conditions, many others (such as California), only get the occasional rainstorm. Either way, Mother Nature won’t stop just because you have an important client meeting on Tuesday. Does your office have a protocol when it comes harsh weather conditions? Should you generally just prepare your staff for tough weather? Yes. Here are simple ways to address bad weather, and still continue productivity:
Have emergency plan kits and trainings
Now, it’s required by law that you have an office preparedness plan for extreme conditions - whether that be earthquake, fire, snow, etc. You should also go over it with your staff. Have a trusted admin professional keep track of the kits and emergency items such as fire extinguishers. Also, hold an emergency training every quarter or so, just to keep your employees fresh. You can also include this at the tail end of a general staff meeting.
Check liability
Make sure you’re up to snuff with your business’s liability code in case of injury or building damages. As long as you are following protocols - such as having and enforcing an emergency plan, there should be no reason for any legal actions against you or your company.
Differentiate between harsh weather and inconvenient weather
Now, your employees may want to call out of work due to heavy snow blockages on the roads. However, weather such as hard rainfall isn’t quite the worst case scenario that would cause out of office calls. Instead, be sure to always prep your staff by giving them safety precautions. Encourage waking up early on bad weather days, safe commutes, and honest communication.
Look for work alternatives during harsh weather
If you absolutely must close down the office for the day due to something such as a snow day, you could also find ways for your employees to continue their work from home. Skype or conference calls, email correspondence, etc. is important during bad weather days. Make sure you also have good communication protocol in order to keep your employees up to date for the rest of the work week.
27
Feb
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