The UK transport industry has been plagued with periodic strikes since Autumn 2022 and, with more planned, many businesses are wondering how this will affect them.
The strikes are no doubt having a financial impact on businesses due to both the loss in productivity as employees are unable to get to work and the fact that customers may not be able to get to your business which will cause a loss of revenue. However, it’s still worth asking the question – are the strikes as bad as they sound and how will they continue to affect your business?
How Will Train Strikes Continue to Affect Your Business?
Until the government and the unions can agree on a deal, the strikes look like they are here to stay. This ultimately means those who cannot work from home or have customer-facing businesses, such as retail and hospitality, will probably continue to make a loss in revenue.
Yet, for those who have adopted a hybrid working style, it may not be as bad as you think. In recent years, the hybrid working style has become the “new normal” ever since the pandemic forced many businesses to adapt. Whilst the pandemic may be over, the hybrid system has stuck around, with employees on average working 2-3 days a week in the office and the rest from home.
What Affect Does Hybrid Working Have?
Hybrid working has increased productivity, minimised sick absences and, as a result, offset some of the damage that would have been caused by the ongoing transport strikes. The question that many employees wonder is if this new style of working will stick or will employers revert to the 9-5 office working week?
With flexible working, it’s also affected the commute. The fact that many of us are now working from home has cut costs for many households as they no longer need to spend money on fuel or tickets for their commute. Not only this, but with global warming on the rise, many have switched to a more sustainable mode of transport such as cycling; something that is free and not affected by the ongoing pay dispute between unions and the government.
So, whilst we can’t do anything about the ongoing strikes, we can adapt policies such as remote working and flexible working hours (to avoid busy commute times) to give our employees the best chance of getting to work and getting the job done.
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