Written by Now the big thaw has started (perhaps), I wonder how many businesses are now considering the importance of using local workers?
With so many people seeming to have taken “snow days” over the last week or so, because they couldn’t get to work, businesses are now going to have to battle with people who insist they shouldn’t have to take a days holiday and should still be paid. I have to say that if a company allows you to take holiday they are still being generous. Businesses need their employees in order to function so if without warning half of them don’t turn up, it puts the company in a difficult position, and puts a lot of pressure on those who have turned up.
However, in this day and age, we should be able to arrange for employees to work from home. It’s difficult for call centre staff, but what about making sure everyone has access to their emails, and/or an emergency work mobile and people can work from home in special circumstances.
During the last week I have heard stories about one person getting to work, while someone else on the same road phoned in and said they couldn’t get in.
I think there have been far too many people who have used the snow as an excuse to not turn up for work, and if they really tried, they could have.
Therefore, if we continue to see extreme weather conditions, will businesses start to favour workers who live locally, and will we start seeing conditions added to contracts to state that not turning up to work in extreme weather will result in not being paid? We can but wait and see…