Increased Business Flexibility Can Combat Commuter Chaos

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Organisations which enable their employees to work from home can avoid commuting concerns caused by public transport strikes.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union recently announced that London Underground drivers will take part in a number of strikes during May and June which is likely to grind the capital to a halt.

RMT Underground drivers are taking strike action following the dismissal of two of its members who they feel were unfairly singled out and victimised a result of their union activity.

The London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) had previously reported that the cost of travel disruption to the capital city's businesses caused by tube strikes would total £48 million in lost productivity each day.

This cost can be lowered if businesses allow employees, who can do their job remotely, to work from home if they rely on a disrupted underground line to reach their place of employment.

Implementing flexible working practices during the industrial action will also allow employers to avoid the issue of whether or not to pay employees who cannot get into the office as there is no obligation to recompense staff for transport disruptions.

Three 24-hour strikes will take place during the week starting May 16th and three further strikes of the same length are set to begin in the week commencing June 13th so more firms are expected to investigate the benefits of flexible working.

Businesses can help their employees work from home by providing them with laptops and phones whereas other companies may have to hire hotel rooms near their offices so that staff can reach work in time.

Publishing a policy for transport strikes and adverse weather conditions will help managers effectively communicate to their employees what to do when such issues arise and this should reduce any confusion.

Businesses should employ the services of performance improvement consulting experts if they unsure whether flexible working is appropriate for their organisation's needs.

Some firms may not have the necessary resources to implement flexible working but larger business such as Microsoft allow 85 per cent of their employees in the United Kingdom to work flexibly, according to Workingfamilies.org.uk.

Flexible working can help businesses improve customer service as they will be able to increase the amount of contact time they spend with clients through less travelling.

Another benefit of flexible working is that it leads to lower rates of staff absenteeism and increased productivity which is a sign of high employee morale and motivation.

About the Author:
Himsworth Consultancy is a leading Management Consultancy firm of senior business and peformance improvement consulting professionals that can improve customer service through systems thinking. Click the links to find out more.



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