I sit here huddled under blankets and working from home as most of the nation is under severe weather conditions consisting of sleet, snow, tornado warnings, icy roads and closed airports. On such days businesses are faced with a critical question: How do I handle the issue of whether or not to pay employees who can’t make it to the workplace due to the weather? You may wonder—why is that even an issue? If you don’t come to work, you don’t get paid…..Let’s take a look at the employee’s perspective.
My friend was very frustrated this morning to be told by one of the department heads that she should be able to make it in to work because the roads are “not that bad.” Since she lives in a large metropolis area, her commute to work is about 35 miles each way. The roads near the office complex may not be that bad, but in her neighborhood 35 miles to the west, the roads were covered in a sheet of ice and impassable. To be perfectly clear, the airports were shut down. Most schools were closed and multiple businesses and government offices were also closed due to the weather. Officials were telling the news reporters to ask people to stay home and off the roads.
She was so upset because she considers herself a great employee—hardworking, never late, in fact, almost an hour early every day, and seldom absent. The type of work she does is not conducive to working from home, so she doesn’t have that option. When she called to report that she couldn’t get to the office, her supervisor told her it was ok, but since she only had one floating holiday available to her, she would need to use it in order to be paid for the day. In addition, if she were unable to get in the next day, she would be required to take a day without pay.
Seems fairly standard, doesn’t it? Many companies have an inclement weather policy that sets the expectations of employees and businesses for those crazy days when Mother Nature gets grumpy and won’t let some of us get to work. That doesn’t stop employees from worrying that they will be the exception that doesn’t nicely fit within the guidelines and puts their job at risk. Or from feeling that this is one more way they are getting screwed or, at the very least, undervalued by their employer. While a business owner may not be sympathetic to these situations or employee concerns, they might want to take a minute to examine other options and to realize that since these are infrequent occasions, they might be missing an opportunity to promote employee friendly policies that will improve employee engagement and retention while keeping an eye on the bottom line.
So, what are some options businesses can consider? Definitely having a standard inclement weather policy is important. Setting up a communication system to alert employees in the event of late starting times or complete closures for the day is a big step in the right direction. Whether it is:
1) a voicemail message that is updated and employees call in to it for the company’s status,
2) notification to TV stations to broadcast,
3) a personal call from direct managers to inform employees of changes,
or to leverage today’s technology
4) tweeting or updating the status on your company’s facebook page,
make sure everyone knows how to stay in touch.
Consider tying company decisions to local school or government office announcements—if they are closed, perhaps the company should be closed. If there are some employees who live close to the business and are able to get in, but most employees are unable to navigate the roads, consider paying all employees for the day and to be fair to the attending employees, award them with a floating holiday they can use during non-peak operation times. This is an option that carries some expense and should probably only be considered when it will not significantly impact client obligations or when extreme weather or natural disasters result in an official state of emergency being declared.
Just imagine how receptive employees would be to some of these creative options. They will recognize exceptional employee friendly practices and feel positively towards their employer. This will help keep staff focused on being productive and motivated to remain part of the team. It makes good long-term business sense to be employee friendly as much as possible. Above all else, though, employee safety should be priority #1 and expecting staff to drive in hazardous conditions is not an acceptable business decision.
Let us know what other creative options you would like your employer to consider. Then recommend that your manager read this article for great insights.
Inclement Weather: Will I be fired if I can’t get to work? by Donna Galatas
