In Australia, we’re familiar with extreme weather. Although we may not be able to control it, we can control how we react – and that includes the action that your service station takes to get your employees through.
In this article, we will detail some scenarios that commonly occur alongside extreme weather and how you can responsibly manage your employees through this tough period.
Business Closure
If the situation is bad enough, your service station might be required to close as a result of extreme weather. This is common in situations of floods, bushfires, and earthquakes.
It’s not possible for most service station employees to work from home, so that option, utilised by other types of companies, is off the table. But if your service station cannot stay open because of the weather event, you may or not need to pay your employees depending on their employment status. If you’re not sure you can contact the ServoPro HR Helpdesk to check.
The same actions can be taken if your service station is inaccessible due to extreme weather – for example, if it’s located on a flooded road or a road closed due to bushfires.
Preemptive Action
If the extreme weather hasn’t happened yet and you’ve just received the notification that it’s headed for your service station, there are steps that you can take. Without panicking, review your emergency procedure and implement the plan that is in place. From there, do what you can to lessen the impact of extreme weather on your service station by relocating inventory and keeping staff at home. If you don’t have an emergency plan, let us know and we can help you put one together.
When Business is Slow
After an extreme weather event, it’s likely that business at your service station won’t be booming again right away. If this happens, you may need to come to an agreement with your employees to reduce their hours. If that isn’t the best option, you might find other duties for employees to cover that are within their expertise. If neither of these options are possible, you can come to an agreement with your employees to have them take a period of paid or unpaid leave.
Employees Not at Work
There’s a difference between an employee being unable to get to work and an employee choosing not to come. If they physically cannot get to your service station due to a road closure or other blockage, you can offer paid or unpaid leave. But, on the other hand, if an employee is refusing to come to work due to personal preference (not because of a health or safety risk), you can direct the employee to show up. If they don’t, you can enforce disciplinary action. It’s always good to check with the ServoPro HR Helpdesk as employment conditions can be different depending on your location and they employment classification.
There is also the case of an employee who can physically get to work and would like to work, but cannot show up because they are taking care of an immediate member of their family/household because of the effects of extreme weather. In this situation, it’s important to discuss with your employee if they would like to take paid or unpaid leave. Again, check with the ServoPro HR Helpdesk to confirm your obligations.
Your Service Station and Extreme Weather
Extreme weather is unpredictable. To keep your service station running smoothly, make sure you know what to do to support your employees through uncertain times. It’s always good to have an emergency plan so you know what to do when unforeseen circumstances occur.