HSBC created a makeshift hotel for employees at its Canada Square headquarters on the night of 2 February, as transport networks in London ground to a halt leaving workers stranded.
A spokesman for the bank said: “About 100 people at Canada Square were stranded and unable to get home.
“We sourced a large supply of sleeping bags, take-away food and water for those staff that we couldn't book into hotels.
“Our contingency plans came into effect and we sent out Blackberry messages [to employees] warning people not to travel if it was dangerous, the priority was to ensure everybody was safe.”
The day highlighted the strength of flexible working practices, as staff at HSBC along with thousands of others across the UK, took the opportunity to work from home.
However The Federation of Small Businesses estimates the cost to the UK economy could be £1.2 billion, because it believes that one in five commuters did not get to work, leaving many companies with reduced staffing levels.