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Attacks prompt call to work from homeBy Julie Clothier for CNN  There is no longer a need for so many people to commute during rush hour, says HR specialist Peter Thomson. QUICKVOTEGLOBAL OFFICE
ON CNNI TV
YOUR SAY
YOUR E-MAIL ALERTSLONDON, England (CNN) -- Last month's bomb attacks on London's transport network should prompt employers and their workers to question the need for traveling in rush hour, according to an HR specialist. Peter Thomson, Director of the Future Work Forum at Henley Management College in England, said advances in technology meant many employees could easily work from home or another remote location, Thomson said. "Why, in the 21st Century do we have people suffering the discomfort, stress and danger of commuting? If work can be done remotely, why do we have rush hours at all?" he asked. "The answer to this is that we are still stuck in work patterns left over from the Industrial Age when there was no choice but to have people co-located to get their jobs done. Now we are in the Information Age it's time that the HR function took a lead and challenged some of the old habits." Thomson said until such a change in work patterns occurred, employers had a crucial role to play in providing emotional and practical support to staff members in the wake of attacks by terrorists. (London bombings) He said the incidents in London on July 7 and July 21 had shown cases of excellent crisis management plans among some companies. The July 7 attacks happened just before 9 a.m., and the July 21 attempted bomb attacks on London's transit system at about 12.30 p.m., which meant most people were on their way to work or already at work at the time both attacks occurred, Thomson said. "There have been some excellent examples of crisis management by organizations that made alternative travel arrangements for employees to get home. There will have been some immediate help, support and counseling for people more directly involved," he said. He said the attacks also highlighted the potential for massive disruption to businesses, caused both by people not being able to get to work and by the psychological impact of a terrorist attacks. Thomson said employers should take the attacks as a "serious warning" of their vulnerability in terms of major disruptions to normal patterns of work. "(The attacks) should make all HR managers think carefully about how prepared their business is for this kind of event," he said. "Most organizations rely on their employees to get in to the workplace to perform their job." Thomson said a more protracted disaster could mean that the whole tube and bus systems are put out of action for weeks. "Even if people found a way to get to work there would be a major loss of productivity which could be fatal for some businesses," Thomson said. "Most large organizations have some sort of disaster recovery plan for their IT. But where is the equivalent HR disaster plan? If people cannot get to work and the phone system in their office has been cut off, what should they do?" 
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