Although a huge four out of five employers claim to have devised workforce policies to help them cope with Olympics-related business disruption, almost nine out of ten employees have no idea what they are.
To make matters worse, a worrying 55% of organisations attest that they have communicated their plans to staff, who should be aware of them, but apparently aren’t.
These are the key findings of a poll among 250 directors, including HR, conducted by business continuity service provider, SunGard Availability Services.
The study also revealed that a scary 43% of those questioned expect their supply chain to break down and fail to function during the Games. Two out of five blame ‘just-in-time’ business models for the situation because lean processes meant that they are simply not set up to cope with major organisational disruption.
Keith Tilley, SunGard’s UK managing director and executive vice president for Europe, said that the “ripple effect” of the Olympics would be felt across the UK and the impact of anticipated supply chain disruptions should not be underestimated.
“The nature and timing of disruptions are near impossible to predict, but as businesses become ever more reliant on modern operational models and strive to streamline efficiencies, it’s vital to take measures that improve resiliency,” he added.
***HRzone is publishing its ‘Spotlight on the Olympics’ supplement today to help HR directors cope with the likely disruption caused by the forthcoming event. We explore everything from workforce planning to the Games’ expected legacy, not least in terms of regeneration and jobs creation.
But we also talk to former Olympians such as former world record javelin thrower, Steve Backley, and double Olympic gold sailing champion, Sarah Ayton, about the cross-over between the worlds of sport and business and what HR can learn in important areas such as motivation and staff engagement.
To read our supplement, you can click here, sign up for our email alerts or look out for the ‘Spotlight on the Olympics’ button on HRzone’s home page.
