Many large corporations have formal Disaster Preparedness Plans in place and often have the resources to recover quickly and with little business disruption. The small to mid-sized business owners often do not believe they need to consider the following matters, although they are most in need of the preparation because they generally have fewer resources and less capital on which to rely.
- Develop a written plan.
- Even if your plan is incomplete, putting it down on paper will help clarify your thoughts, get buy-in from your leadership and staff, and force you to think about an unpleasant topic.
- You should focus on every type of potential disaster your business might face, including natural (such as hurricanes) and man-made disasters (bomb threat, arson).
- Identify the impact such situations could have on your business.
- Identify all your internal and community resources and how best to reach out to them and utilize them.
- Establish evacuation routes, procedures and post-disaster meeting locations to wait for the arrival of emergency response authorities.
- Determine how you will deliver payroll and benefits to staff.
- Establish a Disaster Recovery Team.
- Communication with your staff is critical to ensure their buy-in and to generate ideas.
- Set up a communication phone tree, voicemail message box, etc., and educate staff on how information will be disseminated in case of a business shut down following a disaster.
- Have the Disaster Recovery Team conduct drills and crisis simulations, both with and without advance notice. This will enable you to work out the kinks of your plan before you really need it.
- Prepare Disaster Recovery Kits. These kits should be visible, easy to grab and have the basic essentials such as:
- Flashlights and extra batteries
- First Aid supplies, including gloves and face masks
- Energy Bars
- Bottled Water
- Distribute Disaster Relief wallet cards. They should have the following information:
- Immediate manager’s cell phone number
- Whom to contact when disaster strikes
- Where to go when disaster strikes
- Other critical phone numbers
- Executive team should also have employee and insurance rep contact info, as well as other confidential, business continuity information
- Distribute Disaster Relief Bank Cards, if necessary, to replace paychecks, direct deposit and cash if disaster is wide-spread.
- Establish policies in advance to determine how you will handle absent or displaced workers and how you will administer sick leave, vacation or PTO policies as they relate to wages and general employment.
- Establish a Poor Weather policy. Now is also a good time to address procedures for poor weather situations when local authorities close school and government offices and warn against being on the road and exposed to hazardous conditions.
- Ensure you have business disruption insurance and understand your corporate insurance coverage for fire, flood, earthquakes, vandalism, etc, as well as contact information on your carriers.
- Identify external resources capable of performing key functions, in advance. If possible, list multiple vendors in case the disaster is of a magnitude that many companies are affected. Key functions might include your IT systems support, payroll support, delivery systems, etc.
- Finally, in the event that your organization suffers a disaster, be prepared to bring in your EAP (Employee Assistance Program) counselors or other appropriate professionals to address post-traumatic stress issues, grief, fear, financial concerns, etc..
By planning for a disaster before it happens, you will not only be better positioned for business continuity, you will also engender more employee commitment and engagement.
If you’re the kind of business owner who wants to avoid a disruption to your operations because of a disaster, you will want to contact The Galatas Group for assistance in developing your Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Plan. You can reach us at 972-821-7971.
Tips on Disaster Preparedness by The Galatas Group
