Spring and summer are a time for festivals, picnics, and peaceful days of relaxation. But these warmer weather activities bring with them new problems for your business.
Increased Risk of Infection
According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which surveyed about 180,000 people, approximately one in three workers report getting sick from direct contact in their workplace. And this was before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. Your figures might be much higher with the Deltacron variant, poor employee hygiene, and inadequate commercial HVAC maintenance this year. Therefore, you should take every precaution necessary to protect against infections, such as social distancing and sanitization.
Higher Customer Demand
The spring and summer seasons are often associated with higher demand for consumer products. And while this is usually a product of a growing economy and outdoor activities, they can burden your ability to meet demand. This could be even worse this year with already broken supply chains, the long-term effects of Brexit, Covid-19, and now the Russia/Ukraine war. Therefore, it’s crucial to have a strategy that maximizes your goals. When the market shifts, make those goals a top priority and enact a managerial plan for meeting them.
Employee Absence
Most people enjoy warmer weather, and it’s no surprise that absenteeism is more common when the weather gets better. Mostly this is because employees take advantage of the more significant number of vacation opportunities. But some just want a nice day off for a BBQ. However, this year, you might find your employee absences increase more than usual. A combination of people taking advantage of the pandemic and actually contracting Covid-19 could effectively double your sick rates, so think about outsourcing critical tasks.
Server and IT Issues
You may not be aware, but the temperature can cause issues with your internet speeds. Warmer weather makes the copper inside internet cabling softer. This decreases the rate at which the signals transmit, slowing down your connection speed. Additionally, your servers need to be kept cool all the time. If you use a managed IT company, the burden falls on them. But in the event you host your servers yourself, maintaining them is a top priority. Even a tiny drop in access speeds to your website could be disastrous for sales during a crucial period.
Health and Safety Regulations
Intense heat brings discomfort for those who work in hotter places for extended periods. But for workers living in these countries, increased heat could be more than just an inconvenience. It could be considered dangerous. As an employer, you have a legal responsibility to ensure all your staff are sheltered from the dangers of overheating. Adequate water supply, regular breaks, and protection from the Sun are the most basic needs. You could face absence, illness, and legal action if someone is burned. Or worse, contracts a severe skin cancer from UV exposure.
Summary
Infection, increased absence, and damage to your IT systems are genuine problems you might face as the weather increases. But you can offset most risks with effective management.
