When heavy snow is piling up on the roads, suddenly the daily commute into work isn't so simple for thousands of employees used to catching the bus or driving to the office. And even if it isn't just snow - it could be torrential rain, ice or wind storms - the problems caused by severe weather are numerous. Not only can employees' daily commute be interrupted by hazardous roads and the closure of public transport services, but power outages can occur, as well as business closure due to brutal conditions.

Foul weather can be a nightmare for the HR department. As a business, it's important to strike a balance between caring for employees and ensuring their physical and mental well being whilst ensuring the company remains up and running. However, the foremost concern for any company should be the safety of its employees. This means understanding when a worker cannot travel into the office due to poor conditions, as well as knowing when it's time to give up and close up the building for a day or two until it's safe to return to work.

Of course, some places of work aren't so lucky as to have a warm office to hide away in. Outdoor work obviously has different requirements when it comes to employee health and safety and it's crucial that the well being of employees in severe conditions is kept at the top of the priority list. If work is continuing in poor weather, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) advises that workers are given frequent breaks to get warm, enabled to drink hot beverages, requested to abstain from smoking as it can restrict blood flow and that the buddy system is put in force so employees work in teams that look out for one another.

Knowing when to tell your employees to stay and work from home isn't easy, and it's a good idea to circulate a message detailing the company policy on if the weather is preventing people from travelling. It should include what to do if schools are closed and parents have no alternative means of childcare and strive to ensure that employees who do make it to work are not going to end up being trapped there in case of worsening conditions.

Although, there is no legal right for staff to be paid by an employer for travel delays, the Trades Union Congress advises against withholding pay or forcing holidays onto staff members due to conditions that cannot be prevented as this can make employees feel resentful towards the company, thus decreasing employee satisfaction.

It's important to ensure your business is operating within employment law during periods of bath weather, so stay up to date with changes and revisions and apply these as you see fit.