Heavy rain can diminish productivity up to 16% due to a higher absenteeism, delays in public transportation, traffic jams, power interruptions and, thus, a lower physical and cognitive performance, states a World Bank study.
Attorney and labor specialist, Regina de la Vega, commented to LA PRENSA that other international studies indicate that the type of rainfall, such as the one that flooded various areas of Mexico City last Monday, affects labor efficiency due to logistical reasons and the stress this generates.
The combination of rain and the traffic chaos in a city creates a feeling of uncertainty and frustration, as the exact time to reach the workplace is unknown, she mentioned.
Furthermore, she added, the necessity to plan alternate routes exists, as well as the increasing risk of road accidents, and the mere fact of dealing with heavy traffic, which affects mental health.
Meanwhile, the American Psychological Association states that on rainy days workers may experience a decrease in energy due to the cloudy and gloomy atmosphere.
The Federal Labor Law and Occupational Risks
Regina de la Vega, partner at De la Vega & Martínez Rojas, explained that the Federal Labor Law mentions occupational hazards, “which we must understand as those accidents or illnesses to which employees are exposed in the course or as a result of their work, and relating to the topic of rain, which are the occupational hazards: those that could affect the employees; such as those that occur during the commute from home to the workplace and back home.
And we must also consider electrical failures in public transportation, private vehicles or application-based services, as well as hazardous conditions in workplaces; for example, if there are leaks in factories or offices, or in the case of industrial facilities, Official Mexican Standards must be followed.
Rain can cause a short circuit, lead to structure collapses, or even cause people to trip or slip.
The specialist stated that Standard 035, which addresses psychosocial risk factors, is being revisited, which establishes five major obligations for companies: to identify, analyze, prevent, channel, and sanction.
The lawyer emphasized that in the case of floods like the one caused by the downpour that hit Mexico City and the metropolitan area last Monday , “if a worker gets stuck and cannot pass because the water level rose too high, he will certainly suffer anxiety, stress, and fear, because in that stretch, even life is at risk.
In the case of digital platform workers, such as Uber, Amazon, Rappi, couriers must ride on motorcycles carrying packages and cross flooded avenues, inundations, and large puddles during heavy rainfall; and in Mexico, where thunderstorms are recorded, all of these phenomena generate severe stress and distress.
Therefore, companies must pay attention to directing their employees, this is, “listening to them, understanding what is causing their stress, and what they are going to do about it; companies must keep a record of the matters that have been communicated by the employee.
More flexible companies
Companies must adopt a more flexible and empathetic approach in face of atmospheric phenomena, understanding the distance that employees commuting to work must travel, as well the needs of those providing services in either remote or hybrid work modalities.
She emphasized that the Federal Labor Law (LFT) addresses employer’s obligations relating to safety and health, which should include rain and meteorological disturbances, in other words, climatic issues.
Melesio Rodríguez, a bank employee, recounted that he associates rainy days with moments of melancholy, romance, and leisure; which actually influences productivity at work.
Mrs. Mónica, a cleaning employee of the Metro, stated that heavy rains affect her mood and motivation to work, as there is more work in this transportation system, and if it floods or water leaks occur, “it is our job to clean it.”
Psychologist Marcelina Yáñez stated that rain impacts productivity from a psychological and emotional perspective, particularly in the environment where individuals perform their daily activities, such as work.
“The human brain is designed to react to ecosystem threats, including the weather”.
The work environment is affected by the weather more than we think, emphasized the psychologist.
Rolando, an employee of a supermarket chain, said that companies should consider rain and the chaos it entails, in order to provide psychological support and manage stress and anxiety to cope with the adversities that workers face during this season.
