Camille Bradbury serves as Editor-in-Chief of HRinsidr. She consults for entrepreneurs, small businesses, nonprofits, corporate teams, and government agencies to solve complex legal and operational challenges to help them scale from startup to enterprise level.

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Winter storms are no longer small seasonal inconveniences. In many regions, blizzards, ice storms, deep freezes, and multi-day “mega storms” have become increasingly disruptive. Roads shut down, power grids fail, schools close, and employees often find themselves trying to work while navigating safety concerns that change by the hour.

For HR, this is where leadership matters most. Employees look for clear communication, compassionate policies, and a plan they can trust when the weather turns severe. Winter storm preparedness is not just a facilities issue. It is an HR issue that directly affects safety, business continuity, and culture.

Here is how HR can take the lead when winter weather disrupts work.

During a severe winter weather event, the most important priority is employee safety. That should guide every decision HR makes. If your organization has physical locations, it is essential to monitor conditions in real time and close early enough for employees to travel home safely. Snow and ice can escalate quickly, and waiting too long can put people at risk on the road.

Decisions about closures or delayed openings should be made before conditions become dangerous. HR can coordinate with leadership, facilities, and local weather alerts to ensure that call times are clear and consistent. Communicate decisions across multiple channels, including email, text alerts, internal chat, and the company intranet, so employees do not miss critical updates.

Putting safety first does more than prevent accidents. It strengthens trust. Employees remember which companies prioritize them during difficult moments and which ones do not. Winter storms are an opportunity for HR to demonstrate the organization’s values in action.

Remote work is one of the most effective tools for maintaining operations during severe weather. The challenge is that many organizations assume they are remote ready until the moment employees try to log in from home during a storm and discover that something does not work.

To avoid that situation, HR should partner with IT to run winter readiness checks before the season begins. This includes confirming that employees can access all essential systems from home, that licenses for collaboration tools are up to date, and that VPN capacity is sufficient for an entire team working remotely at once.

Clear expectations also matter. Communicate how employees should check in, how managers should assign work, and what to do if power or internet outages affect availability. When guidelines are simple and predictable, employees are better able to stay focused during a stressful situation.

Remote readiness is not just about technology. It is about clarity, communication, and ease of use. A well planned remote work strategy keeps people safe without slowing the business down.

Severe winter storms create challenges that remote work cannot always solve. Employees may lose power or heat. They may be caring for children home from school. They may have unsafe roads that keep them from getting to on-site roles. They may need time to deal with storm damage or check on vulnerable family members.

HR should make sure that leave policies allow for real flexibility during winter emergencies. This can include:

• Emergency PTO banks for weather-related events
• Clear guidelines for excused absences due to unsafe travel
• Flex time that lets employees make up hours later
• Manager discretion for case-by-case situations
• Temporary relaxation of attendance rules for essential workers

The most important thing is transparency. Employees should know exactly what their options are before they find themselves in a difficult situation. Ambiguity in emergencies causes anxiety, and anxiety reduces productivity. Clear policies reduce both.

Winter storms take a toll that goes beyond logistics. They can create stress, isolation, financial strain, and disruptions at home. HR can help by making sure employees know how to access mental health resources, employee assistance programs, counseling services, or stress management support.

If your company offers wellness programs, now is the time to remind employees about them. A simple message can go a long way when people are overwhelmed by power outages, freezing temperatures, or home damage. Even acknowledging that winter storms are challenging validates employees and reinforces a supportive culture.

Communication is one of the most powerful tools HR has during weather emergencies. Employees should never be left guessing about closures, expectations, or policies.

HR can prepare for winter by creating:

• A written winter weather response plan
• A consistent schedule for weather-related announcements
• Templates for closure alerts, delays, and remote work instructions
• A designated communication channel for urgent updates

During a storm, provide updates at predictable intervals even if nothing has changed. Predictability reduces stress. Ambiguity increases it. When employees see that HR is on top of the situation, they feel more secure and more equipped to focus on what they can control.

Managers are the front line during winter disruptions, and HR should give them the tools they need to support their teams. This includes talking points for communicating expectations, flexibility guidelines, and reminders about safety priorities.

Managers should understand how to:

• Check on employee well being
• Approve emergency leave or schedule adjustments
• Support remote workers with clear priorities
• Adapt workloads when storms interrupt operations

When managers are confident and aligned with HR, teams feel supported and connected.

Not all teams can work remotely. Healthcare, manufacturing, public safety, and certain service industries require on site staffing. HR can help these teams by preparing coverage plans in advance.

This may include:

• Identifying employees who can stay overnight if needed
• Arranging temporary transportation or hotel options
• Creating backup staffing pools
• Offering incentives for employees who work during inclement weather
• Ensuring supervisors know who to call when coverage gaps appear

These plans should be ready before storms begin and easy for managers to activate.

No two winter storms are the same. Even with a detailed plan, you will encounter situations you did not expect. Flexibility is essential.

HR should be prepared to adjust expectations, extend deadlines, reassess policies, or offer additional support as conditions evolve. A mindset of flexibility signals that the company understands real life and cares about the people living it.

The organization can recover from a temporary slowdown. It cannot recover from a culture that ignores employees in moments that matter. Winter weather is a chance for HR to show leadership in a way employees will remember long after the snow melts.

The information contained in this site is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject matter.