For the most part, unless you’re a student
or a teacher, snow days are a thing of the past. With most people having the ability to telecommute, offices rarely close anymore. Instead, employees are told to be safe and work from home. And that’s what I did yesterday when winter storm Janus (when did they start naming winter storms?) dropped more than a foot of snow in the Northeast.
I snuggled up on the couch with my laptop and I got to work, that is right after I hopped on Facebook and read about all the idyllic days my teacher friends had planned. As a member of corporate America no longer do I have a day off when it snows to dust off a sled, drink hot chocolate, and watch a movie by a wood-burning fireplace. Nope its business as usual–except you can wear your pajamas.
This got me thinking—after nine years in the working world I still miss snow days—to a kid, an unexpected day off is like winning the lottery—so I ask, will I ever get used to it? As a child of a school teacher I was not prepared for the show to go on when it snowed and I wish I was given a heads up.
So all of you job candidates out there, when you’re on a job interview, be sure to ask about the corporate culture, you might be surprised and find out that they close for inclement weather. Here are just a few sample questions to get you started:
- What is a typical day like?
- Does the company have an open door policy?
- What is the best part about working here?
- Do employees have the ability to telecommute?
- How does the company communicate its values to the employees?
- Is it possible to speak with some of your veteran employees?