Rail Strikes – Will your Company be affected?

Are your employees unable to travel to work?

As we know, there is likely to be significant disruption for employees using rail transport for work purposes.  A strike is to take place  21, 23 and 25 June 2022.

If unlikely or unable to get to work because of the strike, what can you do?  You should discuss what alternative arrangements can be made for employees. This could include:

• working from home – many employees may already be able to do this due to working from home during the pandemic
• those who already work in a hybrid way could change their days at home for the planned strike days
• agree a period of annual leave
• enforce annual leave (employers can only be do this by giving twice the length of the annual leave. For example two days’ notice for one day of annual leave, so employers looking to do this should do quickly)
• agree to use any banked time off in lieu
• arrange a temporary period of flexible working to start or finish outside of normal working hours

If using the above options, employees are entitled to be paid as normal as they will be able to either work their contacted hours or use authorised leave. Contact us at Symphony HR if you would like some advice or support.

Wellbeing

This impending strike action may cause your employees mental, physical or financial distress.  Due to the cost-of-living crisis on-going, this is a possibility. Assistance you  can  offer includes for example:

• temporary loan of equipment or even money
• access to an Employee Assistance Programme, or
• signposting them to external mental health or financial support

The examples above, will help employees’ overall wellbeing.  In turn can preserve, as much as is possible, productivity and commitment to your organisation.