If your business is in a region that experiences snowy winters, it’s no secret that heavy snow can hinder travel. This may create an issue for you or your staff if your company culture is primarily in-person. So, how should you prepare for the possibility of staff being snowed in and unable to get safely to work?
Here are some proactive steps you can take to prepare for a potentially immobilizing snowstorm so your business doesn’t grind to a halt.
Implement Remote Meeting Solutions
Virtual meetings are a popular choice for businesses that have transitioned to remote workforce solutions. This allows remote team members to seamlessly collaborate as if they were in the same room. It also offers several tools like whiteboard and screen-sharing features for presentations, training, and more.
To explore videoconferencing solutions and other collaboration tools, ask your managed communications provider what platform and features would best suit your needs. To compare the different cloud based videoconferencing systems on the market, read our blog: Top Video Conference Platforms for Small Businesses.
Work From Home Video Conferencing Hardware
Make sure to remember the hardware involved with cloud communications solutions. Video conferencing hardware includes headsets, webcams, and speakerphone devices. These can enhance your staff’s experience with virtual meetings, offering quality audio and video. For this reason, investing in this hardware can make video conferencing friction-free.
Cloud-Based Faxing Solutions
If you work in an industry that requires frequent faxing of sensitive documents, cloud faxing is a great solution in the event of pivoting to remote work. For law firms, this is especially useful, as cloud faxing allows users to fax documents from any device without having to go into the office.
As a more secure solution to faxing, cloud faxing does not trigger automatic printing on the receiver’s end upon sending. This is an added perk that prevents sensitive documents from getting into the wrong hands. To read more about how cloud faxing can make remote work simple, read our article: eGoldFax in the Home Office.
Make A Snow Day Communication Plan
In the event of a snowstorm, you must be prepared to inform staff that they should stay home instead of braving the roads. This is why you should have a plan for how, when, and under what circumstances you will elect to close your facility for weather hazards.
1. Decide How You’ll Contact Employees
Every business is different in terms of how employees are typically contacted. If you have a small business, you may only need to contact a handful of employees. For medium-sized businesses, it may be wise to tell employees to look out for a mass automated phone call, text, or email early in the morning.
Decide beforehand what your course of action will be, so you’re not scrambling for a plan when a storm hits.
2. Encourage Employees to Take Work Materials Home If You Anticipate a Storm
If you live in a snowy region, you know that snowstorms are rarely a surprise due to increasing accuracy of weather predictions. If you follow local weather reports and see a sizable, forecasted storm, it’s a good idea to give employees a heads up.
Let them know the day before to prepare by taking any work materials home in case they are unable to drive in or you close the facility for weather.
3. Pay Close Attention to the Roads and Weather Forecasts
Finally, your plan should include close watch of weather forecasts and updates. Sometimes, local government authorities will issue travel advisories or even declare a state of emergency due to heavy snowfall. In these cases, you could reasonably decide to close the facility for safety and let affected parties know.
4. Equip All Employees With Portable, Company-Provided Devices
This plan makes the most sense for businesses that provide laptops or other devices to employees that offer portability. If this is not the case and your staff work primarily from PCs, it might be time to consider switching.
As many as 80% of businesses allow employees to use their own devices for work-related activities. However, this creates a big risk for your business’s cybersecurity. Bring Your Own Device policies (BYOD) put your organization at risk due to the possibility of malware infecting unsecured devices with unknown security vulnerabilities.
For this reason, consider providing employees with company-owned devices that you can ensure have the proper cybersecurity tools in place.
5. Ensure Employees Have Strong Home Internet Connections
One barrier to remote work for some is access to strong internet connections at home. If you’re trying to implement remote work capabilities for your staff, consider offering an internet stipend for high-speed internet routers. This will offer inclusivity to employees who lack strong internet connections at home.
Prepare for the Weather So Your Business isn’t Snowplowed into a Corner
Ask your managed communications provider about how to equip your business for remote work capability. There are many factors to consider when implementing new technology, and you don’t want to miss any important details. To speak to an expert in managed communications systems, click the button below.
