The ongoing travel restrictions in Europe are now hitting UK businesses as employees fail to make it back to work from their holidays.
This morning more than 12 times the usual number of employees phoned in absent with a ‘transport related' problem, according to absence management organisation FirstCare.
Aaron Ross, CEO of FirstCare, said: "Normally we would expect to see fewer than 3,000 employees across the UK start a ‘transport related' absence on a Monday morning. This morning alone this has jumped to 20,300.
"The high level of non-medical related absence is reminiscent of the snow chaos cause at the beginning of the year and at an average direct cost of £168 per day of absence it will cost UK business over £3 million a day.
"Our nurses have been taking calls from stranded employees across the world, many of whom have been trying to return since late last week. We are also hearing from relatives who are looking after children and dependants of those stranded and as a result are unable to go to work themselves.
"Small businesses are particularly affected by this type of absence, especially as there is no indication of when employees will be repatriated."
