Working from Home is Snow Problem!

The recent blast of snow and wintry conditions has highlighted how unprepared the country was for the weather front. With over 100 schools throughout Ireland and over 10,000 schools throughout the UK closed, many working parents were forced to stay at home and tend to their kids. However, despite there being up to a 40% level of absenteeism, it has been reported that SMEs have adapted better with a smaller drop in productivity compared to larger organizations.

Employees are proving to their bosses that they can continue to be productive working from home, spurred by advances in technology and cloud computing. In the snowy times it is webmail and other online’s tools that enable people to work where ever they may be — be it an airport, their car, or their own home. With remote access and web conferencing facilities available to all, like GoToMyPC and GoToMeeting, combined with a laptop, employees can easily access their programs, files, email and even attend meetings online. It is these as well as many other hosted solutions that keep this country going.

A survey of over 2,000 adults in the UK, carried out by YouGov, found 74% of UK workers were affected by snow, with 45% facing travel disruptions. 11% couldn’t get in to work but worked from home, a number that is up greatly on previous years.

So while your car might be stuck in the snow and going nowhere, take comfort in the fact that with the right tools, at least your business can carry on as if it was a warm summer’s day.

If you managed to work from home while snowed, why not share your story with us.