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Tuesday 12th January 2010
12 January 2010
The cost of setting up homeworking may put off small businesses but the cold snap has shown it's inexpensive in the long run.
A report from the Forum of Private Business (FPB), a not-for-profit organisations representing 25,000 small businesses, estimates that the cost of a single day of employee absenteeism could cost UK plc £230m.
The ice may be melting now but FMs should make sure they don't get snowed under with bad weather problems in the future, a spokesperson for the FPB said.
The Forum is urging FMs to learn from the current crisis and ensure that companies are better equipped to deal with future weather challenges.
"Certainly, there's administration involved in setting up home working but increasingly it's become more cost effective," he said.
But he also warned that health and safety must be taken into account. "It is important that employers put in place contingency plans for these occasions and that these plans comply with employment law.
"Businesses should be aware that it is their responsibility to ensure that employees' houses meet health and safety standards. Don't leave yourself open to the risk of costly law suits."
Ian Ellison, senior lecturer at the Centre for Facilities Management Development at Sheffield Hallam University, believes the bad weather presents an opportunity FMs to "start banging the drums" about continuity planning.
"This issues tends to be one of that's always on the bottom of the to-do list but never gets addressed. Now is an ideal time for FMs work out how any bad weather issues can be avoided in future as well as looking at contingency planning in the broader context."
Ellison stressed the importance of avoiding a blame culture. "It's very easy for companies to point the finger at FMs and say it's your fault things went wrong.
"But this is counterproductive. It's much more effective if FMs sit down with other managers and work out a sensible approach that looks at avoiding future problems in partnership with the rest of the company."
The cost of setting up homeworking may put off small businesses but the cold snap has shown it's inexpensive in the long run.
A report from the Forum of Private Business (FPB), a not-for-profit organisations representing 25,000 small businesses, estimates that the cost of a single day of employee absenteeism could cost UK plc £230m.
The ice may be melting now but FMs should make sure they don't get snowed under with bad weather problems in the future, a spokesperson for the FPB said.
The Forum is urging FMs to learn from the current crisis and ensure that companies are better equipped to deal with future weather challenges.
"Certainly, there's administration involved in setting up home working but increasingly it's become more cost effective," he said.
But he also warned that health and safety must be taken into account. "It is important that employers put in place contingency plans for these occasions and that these plans comply with employment law.
"Businesses should be aware that it is their responsibility to ensure that employees' houses meet health and safety standards. Don't leave yourself open to the risk of costly law suits."
Ian Ellison, senior lecturer at the Centre for Facilities Management Development at Sheffield Hallam University, believes the bad weather presents an opportunity FMs to "start banging the drums" about continuity planning.
"This issues tends to be one of that's always on the bottom of the to-do list but never gets addressed. Now is an ideal time for FMs work out how any bad weather issues can be avoided in future as well as looking at contingency planning in the broader context."
Ellison stressed the importance of avoiding a blame culture. "It's very easy for companies to point the finger at FMs and say it's your fault things went wrong.
"But this is counterproductive. It's much more effective if FMs sit down with other managers and work out a sensible approach that looks at avoiding future problems in partnership with the rest of the company."