Winter Is On The Way- Is Your Business Ready?

Winter weather can be brutal- none of us like braving the cold early in the morning to get to work! But along with the general unpleasantness, there are actually a few things you should bear in mind as a business owner. Winter is likely to present a number of challenges to both your premises and your workers, so things might not run as smoothly as usual. Here are a few things to bear in mind so that you can be prepared.

Employee Health and Safety

If one of your workers slips on snow or ice and injures themselves on your premises on the way into work, you could be sued. Business owners have to take reasonable care to make sure people are safe on their property, and so if you know outside of your office has become slippery due to the weather you should take steps to make sure it’s removed. You could hire a snow shovel company or put down salts to prevent slipping; it’s advisable to display a warning sign too. Letting people know there’s the chance of slipping in bad weather helps to prevent accidents and also covers your back too. Another thing to bear in mind is the temperature of your office or working environment. It should be sixteen degrees Celsius, or thirteen degrees Celsius if the job involves rigorous activity. Get a thermometer and ensure your employees have a warm enough place to work.

Employee Sick Days and Snow Days

Over the winter, you’re likely to experience some employee absence due to sickness. Bugs, colds and flu are much more widespread at this time of year, and so some staff sickness is inevitable. Making sure you’re in a position where you don’t fall too far behind as a result is important. Signing up to a good employment agency who can send you temporary workers out at short notice could be an option. Depending on where you live, you might also have days lost where workers simply aren’t able to get to work due to the weather. Bearing in mind that you may lose some valuable work hours due to these unavoidable things is important. That way you can make sure you’re not missing deadlines or important meetings. Since a lot of business is run online these days, you could assign work remotely for those who can’t physically get into the office.

Damage

Bad weather over the winter can be very destructive to buildings. You may suffer flooding, leaks or damage from weather conditions such as hail. If this happens to you, be sure to seek legal help for your hail damage insurance claim. Make sure you’re properly insured and read all of the policy’s small print to make sure you’re protected against weather damage, that way you don’t end up out of pocket. Maintaining and taking care of your commercial buildings can help to prevent any issues arising in the first place. For example, you could have the roof checked for leaks or insulate the pipes before the weather cools down any further.