Time to get ready for the Olympics – Business Strategy
We have all been talking about the London games, planning to get into work early and leave before the rush or setting up a network allowing working from home.
There are still an awful lot of us who haven’t made any concrete plans, waiting to see how the first couple of days go. Although we’re expecting a mass of new temporary residents, tourists and revellers, nobody can be entirely sure how it will affect our businesses and the commute to and from work.
If you are one of the ‘wait-and-see’ people, the first piece of advice would be to not arrange any meetings or deadlines for that first day. Allow yourself as much flexibility as you can. You may have to take a new route in, avoiding particular routes or the Tube network entirely.
-The company must develop a communications strategy. Identify the key management and how to keep them informed of on-going projects.
-The surges in local mobile and internet networks may cause connectivity issues. If you are using remote ICT system networks, test them before the Olympics begin. Your chosen network strategy has to be able to support the number of staff working remotely. Will your team of employees be using telephones and emails to communicate with each other while some of you may be away from the office? It may seem simple, but make sure everyone has the relevant numbers and email addresses. If people are using additional internet bandwidth or using up their minutes on personal calls, will they be able to claim expenses?
-If your office or company rely on supply deliveries, have you accounted for the traffic disruption? Everything from online grocery services to key product delivery will all face delays and possibly a premium charge for dates during the Games.
-There should be an in-house (can still work remotely) Olympics working group, including the person in charge of communications, to co-ordinate the plan. They will be responsible for keeping up-to-speed with news monitoring and any situations that could disrupt your business.
Puregenie Digital Recruitment and the Gail Kenny Group will be fully contactable during the Games. We’ll be fully active via our company and individual twitter accounts. Follow @puregenie for the latest jobs, industry news and information that we’ll be bringing to you as it happens. Also, join us on LinkedIn to hear about group discussions, more industry news and the very latest hot jobs.
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Great piece with some solid points, especially around communications and remote working around the Olympics this summer. To this end, Telligent have recently surveyed 1,000 UK employees around remote working this summer, and have found that 57% of UK employees will be working remotely this summer. However, our findings also show that few workplaces (just 21%) are currently providing employees with the collaboration tools they need to stay productive this summer.
Thanks Elena. It will be soon becoming apparent to employers, especially after the first few days of inevitable problems, that they really need to think about allowing people to borrow laptops or iPads and help them stay connected during the Summer’s events.
Hi James – Agreed on that score! I think for now, we just watch and wait. Those who have prepared will be in a much better situation than those who haven’t – that’s for sure!
Really interesting article. I’m been offered flexi-shifts, many people will simply assume that will be business as usual (in London), Boris bikes will come into their own!
Thanks Chris. Flex-shifts and remote working will be the way to progress I think. Although you’re right about the assumption that London transport will be able to cope. It may take a couple of days before people figure it out.
I keep hearing this site https://www.getaheadofthegames.com/travel-advice-for-business/support-advice-and-tools being advertised, may help when Boris can’t be used (ie business meetings)
I am ashamed to say I am one of those ‘wait and see’ people, although my workplace have offered me flexi-shifts and working from home when needed. The company I work for have reduced product prices to encourage custom and some staff have even taken an overseas holiday! We can’t possibly know how business will be effected until it happens, but be as ready as we can be.