It’s the second week of February and we’re getting sunshine and temperatures in the 70’s. As nice as that is to experience, we can’t let our guard down yet. It’s still winter, and there’s likely still a snow day in the forecast. How does your business handle snow days? If you don’t have a policy in place, you might consider getting one together, so that those days don’t fall by the wayside when it comes to productivity.
Here are some good ways to make sure snow days don’t ruin business plans altogether:
Planning Ahead for Your Snow Day Policy
First, plan ahead for what is considered emergency weather. It doesn’t always have to be snow, though in the Maryland/Virginia/DC region in February, snow is the most likely scenario for inclement weather. Let your employees know what is considered severe weather. That’s the first step. Some examples can fall under these categories:
- # inches of snowfall overnight (ex. A foot of snow, 6 inches of snow, etc.)
- Flooding that affects traffic, or makes transportation dangerous
- State of Emergency declared by governor
Your policy may be more lenient, or it may be stricter, depending on what is realistic for your company and employees. However, knowing up front when the plan is to be put into effect is helpful to everyone.
Developing the Policy
Now, what do you do when the weather has hit, and no one is going to be showing up for work? That’s when your plan comes into effect.
Will the business close? Will employees be expected to work from home? How many days should be expected for recovery? These are all questions that should be addressed.
Some companies, like those involved in information technology, may provide employees with a VPN to access the network from home, in order to keep from disrupting business. Others, like retail shops might choose to close up until the state of emergency has lifted, or give a standard 3 days to allow transportation to go back to normal. Let’s face it, customers would have a hard time making it in anyway, right?
Consider some of these points and determine what would work best for your own business. Can employees work from home? If not, how many days are needed for the business to close? Having a standard snow day policy up front will help stay organized in a moment of what would otherwise become hectic and confusing. It’s best to be on the safe side in case this beautiful sunny weather gives way to snow!