First published on Thursday, August 13, 2020
Last updated on Tuesday, December 12, 2017
The UK has been hit with a cool snap this week with snow, ice and sub-degree temperature across the UK. This has had a big impact on many commuters and their ability to make it in to work on time.
Within the BrightHR system we saw an 85% increase in the number of latenesses that were logged by our customers on the 12th December, a record level that we’ve seen over the past 12 months!
Monday night (10th Dec) saw records set for coldest night of the year with temperatures plunging to -13 degrees, but the Met office have confirmed these bitterly cold conditions are expected to get worse in some parts of the UK, and it’s not even officially winter yet!
While snowy conditions can set the festive mood when you’re cosied up at home or building a snowman, it’s a real nightmare for commuters when it comes to the journey to work. With weather conditions causing major disruptions to public transport, road closures and heightening traffic, that will guarantee an increase in employee lateness and absences.
In many cases, being late due to weather condition disruptions doesn’t mean staff are running late by 15 minutes or even half an hour. We’re talking hours late... and once affected staff eventually arrive, they’re so stressed it can take awhile for employees to get into the swing of work. This could raise the question of whether allowing people to work from home will be more efficient. Especially if staff can access the files and documents that they require, as it can be a better way to get work completed and keep your staff happier.
Unfortunately, when weather conditions get rough, you may get the odd staff member who rides the wave and intentionally arrives to work late knowing they can blame it on the weather. And more often than not, they’ll find other excuses to come to work late on other occasions. By using a system like BrightHR you can keep track of lateness and easily spot any trends that may be emerging within your staff before they become an issue.
So, with all that said, we recommend you get prepared for the winter ahead, because it’s going to be a late one...I mean a cold one.
If you're worried about the impact extreme weather could have on employee absences or what to do if your employees can’t make it to work, give our brilliant BrightAdvice team a call to speak with an employment law expert.
Not a BrightHR customer? Speak to our sales team today to see how we can help you with on-demand employment law advice and an award winning absence management tool. Request your free demo today!
