How To Prepare The Office For Winter Weather
During the winter months it is common to see a rise in absences due to difficult weather conditions. Whilst the route to work is out of control for the employer what can be helped is the area surrounding the office. As an employer it is your responsibility to create a safe working environment. To do this we’ve collected some tips to create a safe environment for your employees and what equipment is best to buy in.
Be Informed
To keep up to date with bad weather reports it’s best to keep an eye on the met office website. Being prepared is essential in bad weather, so this handy tool will let you know how hard it will be to get to work, or, if an employer, if your employees will be delayed. You could even send around a group email in the office the night before to warn of the bad weather. This will help to avoid people being late or missing work all together. Also making employees aware of detour services on offer, like the features available on sat navs, will allow them to have a plan B.
Equipment
You’ve prepared your office staff for the bad weather and warned them. Now you need to make sure that the office is in the correct state when they arrive. Investing in good, bad weather equipment will ensure your car park and office entrance is safe to all those using it. Simple equipment such as salt spreaders, brown rock salt or winter preparation kits are great starting points. This not only benefits your staff, but your customers too, no one wants to arrive for a meeting and fall over!
Health
Encouraging your staff to eat healthier at this time of year is a great way to look after them from the inside out. Offering services such as free fruit deliveries not only improves office performance but will create a positive attitude to healthier eating. This build up of vital vitamins will stop office illness and will help improve office concentration. It’s a simple and effective solution to ensure your staff feel better in bad weather. Warm drinks are a common sight in offices and should definitely be consumed in the colder months to keep body temperatures up.
Car Maintenance
Checking all of the company cars are in tip top condition is another way to prepare for bad weather. Having an expert go over each of the company cars will give you and everyone who works for you peace of mind. We’ve made a simple checklist for you to go over;
– antifreeze
– windshield wiper fluid
– brakes
– heater
– ignition
– fuel
– oil
– brake fluid
– defroster
– battery
– radiator