Snowstorm 101 for Businesses

A Note from OperationsInc CEO David Lewis: Crucial Tips for Dealing with an “Office Snow Day”

Good morning:

The NY/CT metro area is slated to see upwards of 20 inches of snow tomorrow, which will make travel treacherous, and with highway closures, maybe even impossible.

Here are some tips to follow as your firm prepares for the disruption the storm will bring:

1.    Have a plan. We know it’s going to snow. We know schools are going to be closed. We know the roads could be impassible, impossible, or both.

2.    Prepare for absences. Assume many of your employees will not be able to get to the office tomorrow, and/or will not be willing (or comfortable) making their usual commute.

3.    Set up your team, where possible, to work remotely. Have employees bring work home with them, update their voicemail greeting to let callers know they are working remotely due to the storm, and move “meetings” to the conference call bridge.

4.    Have a communication plan in place. Alert all employees about your plan for opening or closing the office…and be prepared to communicate that news by 6:00 a.m. (or earlier). Email or mass text is the best method to spread the word. Oh… and don’t forget to fill in your clients as well.

5.    Expect some road closures. Pay attention to messages from the Governor’s office, which in the past has closed highways during such storms for all but “essential personnel”.

6.    Provide “local” housing tonight for key team members. Consider booking hotel rooms close to the office for employees who must be in attendance no matter what the weather.

7.    Reward those who come in tomorrow. Breakfast, a pizza lunch, or even spot bonuses are an impactful way to reward those who brave the weather and make it to the office.

As always, please feel free to reach out to your OperationsInc consultant for additional guidance.

Thank you,

David Lewis
CEO
OperationsInc
www.OperationsInc.com

For further guidance or assistance, please contact your OperationsInc consultant directly, or you can reach another member of our team at info@OperationsInc.com