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UK Businesses advised to prepare now for Olympics

British companies are at risk of being drastically unprepared for the potential disruptions that the Olympic Games might cause during summer 2012.

In a survey by telephone conferencing company Powwownow, over 1,000 UK employees were quizzed on the preparations their companies are making for the games, and 41 per cent of respondents said they “have not made any preparations and do not intent to”.

This comes despite warnings from authorities that travelling around the UK will be significantly less straight-forward next summer, and businesses with supply chains will suffer delayed deliveries. The precursory measures being encouraged include being prepared for leave requests, enabling staff to work remotely, and stockpiling goods ahead of anticipated slower deliveries.

Powwownow CEO Andrew Pearce commented on the survey findings, saying: “Our findings point to the fact that even with less than ten months to go, a majority of businesses continue to be naive about the obvious disorder the Olympics will cause for companies all around the UK.

“Even though companies based in the Capital will face the brunt of the issues, companies nationwide will face challenges.”

Other results in the survey showed that 30 per cent of respondents did not know what to do to prepare for the Olympics, while 17 per cent of those surveyed said they intend to take precautions but have yet to put any preparations into action.

To help businesses prepare for the Olympics, Powwownow has produced a downloadable White Paper that offers advice on how to prepare an Olympics action plan and communicate it to all member of staff.

The White Paper, ‘London 2012 Olympic Games – A Guide for UK Business’ is available now – just click here to download it.