October 14, 2010
Small businesses throughout the UK must prepare for weather-related disruptions this winter by drawing up continuity plans, a business group has warned.
2009 witnessed the coldest winter for three decades, as businesses suffered mass disruptions at great cost to the British economy.
According to a YouGov poll carried out earlier this year, 58% of senior decision-makers at small businesses said their companies suffered as a result of the snow last winter, despite 78% believing their firms were sufficiently prepared.
But, with the record-breaking cold snap still fresh in the mind, forecasters are predicting another harsh, snow-filled winter as 2010 draws to a close.
Positive Weather Solutions this week predicted that the winter of 2010/11 is likely to see similarly icy temperatures and more of the ‘disruptive snowfall' that hampered deliveries, triggered heating and power failures and left many employees unable to get into work.
Nationally, three-quarters (74%) of employees were affected by the snow last year, with more than a quarter (26%) failing to get in to work at all. A fifth (21%) of those surveyed found key suppliers and contacts were unavailable and 26% had to postpone or cancel meetings.
The Forum of Private Business (FPB) is urging smaller companies to prepare for any potential adverse weather now by putting in place business continuity plans.
"I think it's fair to say that last winter's extreme weather conditions caught out many small business owners,” said FPB spokesman, Phil McCabe.
"A lot of small firms struggled to continue trading as employees failed to make it into work, deliveries were cancelled and freezing temperatures caused heating equipment to fail, leaving their premises unusable.
"We estimated that last winter's snowfalls were costing smaller businesses across the UK around £230m each day at one point. Obviously, in the current climate, small firms can ill afford a similar expenditure this year so we're urging business owners to think about their contingency plans now to ensure they aren't put out of action by another icy winter."
Employers have been encouraged to establish continuity plans, such as increased flexible working arrangements, to help battle this year’s cold snap, while recognising the plight faced by countless employees as the winter months roll in.
