Company Snow Days
Here in Chicago this week we had a blizzard of epic proportions. According to the Twitter trending topics on Tuesday night, we were bigger than Bieber. That's a big storm.
An employee standing out in front of our office this AMMost of you all who watched the news saw how Lake Shore Drive, one of the busiest commuter roads in the city, was completely shut down. People coming home from work were left stranded out on the road for hours and hours, some having to completely abandon their cars on the road and finding some other way home, whether that was by snowmobile or walking home in the 60 mph winds.
Here at Hinda, we took the warnings seriously. We closed down the office a few hours early on Tuesday as the storm started to approach the city to give all of the staff ample time to get home. Though it took most people forever to actually get home, they still made it without the 6, 8 or even 18 hour delays that many faced. The next day we shut down for the weather, not wanting anyone to take unecessary risks trying to get to work. Most employees that could worked remotely. The office doors opened today and we're even providing free lunch to our employees who were able to make it in.
Though we're not trying to toot our own horn (okay, maybe just a little...), it's good to raise the question on what your company would do at a time like this? Would you try and go on business as usual, costing your staff time and potential headaches with commuting? Or would you be forgiving of the elements and shut things down as need be? Sometimes a demand in productivity in dire circumstances could kill morale and kill productivity and engagement levels later.
How else could companies look toward their employees best interest?