Disconnect between employers, employees preparing for Olympics

80 per cent of employers claim to have adequate plans: Survey

There is an overwhelming disconnect between businesses and employees in the United Kingdom as they prepare for the inevitable working life disruptions during the 2012 Olympic Games in London, according to a survey sponsored by SunGard Availability Services, provider of information availability and business continuity services.

Most (88 per cent) employees feel in the dark around Olympic working policies, despite four-fifths of employers claiming to have made adequate plans to combat the threat of working disruption during the Games and 55 per cent saying they have communicated these plans.

Sixty-one per cent of employees think the efficiency of employers will be disrupted due to the Olympic Games. Disruption is now a way of life for U.K. organizations and their workers, said SunGard, citing the Thai floods and Japanese tsunami, unforeseen snow and public sector strikes, and 59 per cent of employers now factor in more disruptions into operational plans.

Businesses rank supply chain disruptions and the impact of employees watching the Olympics (60 per cent) as the highest concern, found the survey of 250 directors in senior-level operational, IT and HR roles and 1,297 working adults, with technological-based disruptions such as network failures and security breaches (57 per cent) close behind.

“2012 is set to be a challenging year and while it’s encouraging to see plans to counteract disruption are being implemented, its vital organizations understand the potential fallout caused or exacerbated by poor or no preparation, in particular if plans are not communicated effectively to staff,” said Keith Tilley, managing director for the U.K. and executive vice-president for Europe at SunGard availability services.

“Potential impact is likely to affect not just on operations but customers, profits and reputation too. Action taken now will not just benefit them for two months in 2012 but as a differentiating quality management process that will benefit them for many years.”

A SunGard guide for employers looking for direction on how to develop, implement and assess business disruption plans can be found at Guide.

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