A company sent its staff home for a build-a-snowman contest

Jonathan Harris with his winning snowman

While some employers insisted that nearby staff trudge their way into the office, one manager had a more creative idea.

Nigel Taylor, managing director at Fareham-based Taylor Made Computer Solutions, had one strict instruction for his staff – to build a snowman.

The boss of the IT firm sent his employees home and asked them each to build a snowman and send him pictures of their snowy creations.

My Taylor even put a prize up for grabs, £50 worth of Amazon vouchers.

The runner-up received £25 in vouchers and the firm also donated £100 to Naomi House Children’s Hospice.

Nigel announced his winner as Jonathan Harris. Jonathan’s sculpture included a wireless desktop box and a Taylor Made jacket.

The runner-up prize went to Dave Conway for his ‘The Greatest Snowman’, inspired by the recent blockbuster film The Greatest Showman.

Nigel said: ‘We understand that driving in the snow and ice can be very scary so we actively encourage our staff to stay at home when weather like this kicks in.

‘Many parents also find schools are closed when snow hits so finding last-minute child care can be an added pressure.

‘We’re fully geared up for remote working and practise what we preach to our clients.

‘Using the Cloud, we’re all able to seamlessly carry on working no matter where we are.’

Employee Frances Sturt said: ‘We all loved the competition. In some jobs you can feel pressured to get in through the elements and be a ‘hero’. It’s not like that here. We were all able to carry on with anything we needed to from home. It was a great, fun way to spend our down time!’