The BBC has advised its staff to work from home if possible due to an extreme heatwave gripping the United Kingdom. The broadcaster issued the recommendation in an email to UK news staff, citing a red weather warning from the Met Office, the highest level of alert.
Chief Operating Officer Phil Harrold sent the email, stating that employees whose roles are not broadcast-critical and who are located in areas covered by the warning should consider working remotely. For those in broadcast-critical roles who must attend BBC premises or work on location, the guidance is to follow specific instructions.
The Met Office issued a red weather warning for extreme heat across parts of the UK for Wednesday and Thursday.
This directive comes as the UK faces temperatures reaching 36 degrees Celsius (96.8 degrees Fahrenheit). The BBC's policy on remote work has become more flexible since the COVID-19 pandemic, a shift that has seen BBC Scotland criticized by local businesses for its reduced office presence.
A BBC spokesperson confirmed that the Corporation is continuing to broadcast news as normal during the heatwave.
The broadcaster is currently undergoing significant cost-cutting measures, aiming to save £500 million and potentially leading to up to 2,000 redundancies over the next two years. More than a quarter of these redundancies are expected to come from editorial and broadcasting teams, according to new Director General Matt Brittin.