Managing the workplace impact of bad weather

Most of the country is likely to face snow, ice or other weather warnings over the winter season. It is important to be prepared with what to do when adverse weather affects work.

1. Closure of the workplace
Weather conditions may lead to a complete closure of the workplace. Employees are entitled to be paid in full for hours they would have worked had the workplace been open unless there is a contractual clause to be placed on unpaid leave.

2. Employees travelling to work
Employees are expected to make every reasonable effort to get to work unless they are notified in advance that they should not travel to work.

3. Working from home
Allowing people to work from home during periods of bad weather can allow them to continue working despite workplace closures. 
 

Please get in touch if you would like to know more about this topic or for anything else HR related - polly@rathbonehrsolutions.co.uk

5 Top Tips to Support Employee Wellness, when Working from Home

 Further to recent government advice, it seems likely that working from home is set to continue for many employees across the country for the remainder of the year at the very least and quite possibly into the start of 2021 as we’re all urged to ‘work from home’ wherever possible.

As an employer, you may be starting to feel that even your most enthusiastic employees are struggling to keep motivated, as working from home for many can be a tricky beast to handle, with the line between home and work life often becoming blurred.

Whilst the lack of a commute and greater control over working environment may be welcome, the monotony of working from home can still be hard to handle for a prolonged period of time. It’s often tricky for employees to keep themselves motivated and very easy to fall into a productivity slump.

We believe that employee wellness is key to any organisation. So here are our five top tips for your employees to help keep their head in the game whilst working from home;-

1.    Set priority to-do lists

Your calendar might list out your work for you, but there’s a clearer satisfaction in being able to tick something off your to-do list. At the start of your day, consider writing down everything you need to get done, and as you go through, make sure to tick it off.

It can be a great feeling to tackle each item and even more so when you get to see that the list is getting shorter, and finishing it brings a more definite sense of closure than just waiting to clock off at the end of the day – which also has the benefit of keeping a clear boundary between your work and your home life.

Task lists are also very flexible to how you work or how you want to work – you could order them based on priority to make sure you get the important stuff done first, or you could alternate tougher tasks with easier ones to keep yourself in a comfortable rhythm. The most important thing is to find a pattern that works for you!

2.    Get Dressed

One of the benefits of working from home is that most of the time you won’t be needed to wear anything specific if you’re not on a video call. Some people may have started wearing pyjamas or tracksuits for comfort.

You can give yourself a sense of focus by dressing yourself professionally, even if only some of the time. A tidy shirt or a sensible dress can make you feel like you’re in the office and put you in the right headspace to get some work done.

3.    Don’t expect miracles

While it’s important to keep working, both for your livelihood and to keep a semblance of normality during this tough time, you also need to remember to go easy on yourself.

The current health crisis is taking a toll on everyone’s mental health and between that and the uncertainty involved, you shouldn’t expect your productivity to match what it might have been before you started working from home full-time.

Make allowances to yourself in terms of expectations and remember to focus on what you do achieve rather than what you don’t, to help keep your mental health in the right place.

4.    Take frequent breaks

Productivity doesn’t rely on working every single second you’re awake. Sometimes your brain might need a few minutes to process a new idea or refresh itself after a tough piece of work.

It’s good not only for your mental health but also for your physical health to get up from your desk and walk around for a few minutes every so often. This is even more true without a commute, as you’re likely to be moving less on any given day.

Make sure to take care of yourself and focus on what you can achieve to get the most out of your day – keeping the right mindset is key to keeping your productivity up!

5. Eat well, sleep well

 Eat Well

 Do not starve the brain from nourishment. Even if you’re having an incredibly busy day, it is still crucial to eat lunch so that you can function well for the remainder of the day. Obviously choosing healthy, nourishing foods is best for overall health, but if this isn’t an option, then eating anything is still better than eating nothing!

 Sleep Well

 Implement an end-of-day habit to write a “to do” list, before the day is finished. This trains your brain to be clear of the next day’s activities. This daily habit helps to stop the 3am wake-up prattle of forgetting something that needs to be done.

Clearly, this is a very important and relevant subject at this time. If you would like any further guidance or to discuss further, please email polly@rathbonehrsolutions.co.uk