Along with the financial costs of property damage and looting, business owners in areas affected by the ongoing riots in London are also faced with the problem of employees unable to return to work due to safety concerns and disruptions in transport.
The riots began Saturday night and have spread throughout the capital’s various boroughs into Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool, Manchester and Nottingham. Officials have estimated the costs of cleanup and recovery to reach £100 million.
Human resources experts are urging business owners and personnel managers to work with employees unable to travel to work, whether it be working from home or allowing workers to make up missed time. In all cases, advisors are recommending against withholding pay or initiating disciplinary actions.
Another potential problem employers may face in the near future is the prospect of dealing with employees who have been arrested for participating in the looting and vandalism that have marked the riots, note staffing and personnel specialists.
Not only may employers have to manage the difficulty of suspending or even firing employees involved in the turmoil, but they could then find themselves in the costly predicament of replacing those workers and training new ones, either temporarily or permanently.
Castle Hill House