Please allow extra travel time.
Everyone deserves to earn a fair wage. Similarly, everyone deserves to be able to get to work easily to earn that fair wage.
Major disruptions to public transport such as bus and rail networks can be costly to businesses of all sizes. For instance, Business NSW estimate the strikes and disruptions to Sydney’s rail network in January 2025 cost businesses $49 million per day.
Small to medium enterprises often feel the greatest impact. Particularly businesses in the retail and hospitality sectors who are affected by severely reduced foot traffic or multiple booking cancellations as people are unable to make it to the venue.
Millions of employees rely on the public transport system to get to and from work each day. When strikes or industrial action shut down a transport network, business owners and employers need to look for ways to keep their operations from coming to a similar grinding halt.
Here’s some tips that can help keep your business on track
Commute to the cloud
Obviously, this is not the answer for every business. However, it could be temporary solution until transport gets back to normal.
There’s an abundance of technology designed to make working from anywhere possible. Even small businesses can benefit, as many cloud services can be scaled up or down as your needs change. This level of flexibility makes this option affordable for any size business.
If allowing staff to work from home or remotely in the cloud, ensure you have stringent IT security protocols in place to prevent hacking or the loss of sensitive and business-critical data. You also need to simplify access to email, files and folders employees need so they can work as effectively as if they were in the office.
By adopting cloud technology, it can be business almost as usual.
Working from the office. Just not your office
If your employees are not set up to work from home an alternative could be a co-working office space that is close to where they live. These spaces have workstations with internet access, screen technology, and facilities to hold meetings if required. Many also have sound-proof booths for additional quiet or to have confidential discussions with clients or colleagues.
If several employees live close to a co-working space, they may be able to work from there the same way they would in your office.
All aboard alternative travel
Depending on the location of your business and where your employees live you may be able to arrange multi-pickups with a ridesharing service. If several team members live near each other, carpooling may be an option and pay for employee parking for their shift.
It’s rare for bus and rail networks to shut down or have industrial action at the same time. If busses aren’t running but trains are, employees may be able to take a taxi or rideshare to their nearest station, which you can reimburse. Similarly, if trains are impacted, employees may be able to catch a bus service. As this can take longer, make allowances for their additional travel time.
Not running to schedule. Flexible start and finish times
Flexible working is often used to help accommodate childcare and school pick-up. During disruptions to public transport, it can also be used to avoid peak hour traffic increases.
If at all feasible, consider changing start and finish times by an hour or two. This could mean starting and finishing early or later to avoid peak hour or employees having to deal with overcrowded services.
Compressed hours can also be an option, allowing employees to work additional daily hours providing a shorter working week. Working a four-day week will cut down on the number of trips needed to get to and from work.
If you explore flexible working arrangements such as changes to work hours or rosters, be aware how this may affect your industry award regarding work hours, overtime rates, and any allowances.
Please listen for announcements. Communication is key
Often there are notifications throughout the media of the intention to stop or reduce the frequency of public transport services before action is taken. Having a backup plan to keep the doors of your business open is crucial.
Discussing options with employees, implementing remote work policies where possible, and exploring alternative transportation can help you navigate public transport disruptions. And have minimal impact on your business.