It’s been snowing in the UK. More is forecast. When this happens sooner or later in any conversation you will hear just how ill prepared we are for it and for many businesses and organisations productivity comes to a halt and days are lost.

Snow, ice, windy - bad weather changes things, the travel plans are abandoned, the kids school is shut. The weather is a great leveler because it affects everyone.

However, does it really have to be that way? Can convergence technology help solve the problems?

When snow days come to the UK there are perhaps 3 options.

1. Ill prepared - despite warnings to contrary there will always be people who try to get through, the roads get clogged, accidents happen.
2. Over prepared - England in particular doesn’t actually get that much snow maybe 5 - 10 days a year often less. Running an Arctic style continuation strategy is over-kill and expensive.

   But days are lost to business and whilst building a snowman is fun its important to try and lower the impact on productivity, which brings me to option 3 and the Scouts motto.

3. Be prepared. We know that there is a chance over winter that snow and bad weather will affect employees and their ability to travel and also those with families and other caring commitments may have to look after children whose schools are closed or elderly relatives who need supplies. When the snow comes, the fact that people cannot get in to the office shouldn’t surprise anyone.

What is needed is for business to know what to do in those times. Convergence technology such as smartphones and netbooks (very small computers with Internet Access) can offer relatively low cost options for business that at short notice want employees to work remotely for occasional days e.g. Snow Days. Of course company systems need to be compatible with the remote working tools adopted but this is part of the planning.

With office based workers there are increasingly few activities that cannot be carried out remotely with the right choice of affordable converged digital technologies. Companies should consider developing ‘Snow Day Kits that allow employees to work remotely at short notice. These kits can also help at other times.

Last weeks snow day cost the UK approximately £1 billion. There was criticism of local authorities for not being prepared but was business? There are some occupations that cannot be done remotely but many jobs can be even if not a regular basis.

The result of business developing a Snow Day Kit could really help keep the economy moving and free the traffic infrastructure for essential activity such as the emergency services in times of extreme weather.

About This Post

• Written by Stuart Smith
• February 9th, 2009 at 10:15 am