It’s certainly been a case of “when it rains, it pours” for the poor London commuter recently. A tube strike, a concrete-flooded control room and many, many delays have resulted in workers forced to seek out alternative modes of transport to get them to and from the office.The recent 48-hour walkout, which was the result of an ongoing dispute between the TUC and London Underground bosses, has seen further disruption to companies that are hoping 2014 will be the year of the Great British economic revival.
According to this recent infographic from Buzz Conferencing, train delays cost UK businesses £1 billion every year. Quite shocking, when you consider TUC figures that suggest taxpayers in the UK are already paying annual costs of around £1.2 billion to try to ensure the privatised system keeps to its schedules. When will it end? The answer to that question is down to you. If you’re fed up of being held to ransom by the unreliability of the capital’s public transport network, then the simplest solution would be to stop relying on it.
Instead, cut out the commute and work from home. Teleconferencing can make a massive difference when it comes to achieving this, allowing workers to participate in meetings and communicate with colleagues as if they were still in the office. So next time the Victoria line is closed for unforeseen reasons, the Circle line grinds to a halt or Piccadilly Circus descends into chaos, do something about it. It could be the best decision you ever make.
