“Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.” You’ve heard it time and again, especially when it comes to taking care of your business. But what does it really mean? When it comes to your business, it might pay off to be an overthinker, since you can never be over-prepared.
What if a tornado hits? Or some wacko smashes your windows in? What if the building next door catches on fire and melts your siding? Or your business partner passes away suddenly? Or you find yourself in the middle of a major lawsuit? What if you’re not prepared to handle any of these situations? Here are some steps you can take to ensure you’re business can survive an emergency.
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Assess And Analyze
Assess the risks, imagine any possible scenario, and ask yourself, “Am I prepared?” If the answer is yes, way to go! If the answer is no, don’t worry. Prepare and analyze all the aspects of your emergency response, so in the event of a Sharknado, you can sit back and relax as your competitors are swept away into shark-ey madness.
Purchase Adequate Insurance
One of the most important (if not the most important) components of an effective emergency response plan is adequate insurance. There are countless types of insurance for you to consider, but the most popular and useful for business owners are professional liability insurance, property insurance, workers’ compensation, product liability, and business interruption insurance. In the event your business is run from your home, you should also look into home-based business insurance, as your usual homeowner’s insurance will not cover your home-based business endeavor. Additionally, if your business requires you or your employees to regularly drive, you should look into purchasing a vehicle insurance policy.
If all of this seems a bit too much to handle on your own, reach out to an insurance specialist to ensure you are getting the best possible coverage for you, your business, and your employees.
Develop A Business Continuity Plan
After making sure you’re properly insured, don’t hesitate to get started on your business continuity plan. A business continuity plan is the perfect tool to have at the ready when disaster strikes because an effective plan will give your business a fighting chance in the midst of chaos. A solid business continuity plan contains six main steps:
- Identify the scope of the plan
- Identify the key business areas
- Identify critical functions
- Identify dependencies between various business areas and functions
- Determine acceptable downtime for each critical function and
- Create a plan to maintain operations
You can learn more about these six steps by following the link above.
Once your plan is completed, present a copy (through email, or a physical paper copy) to each of the department heads, employees, or key leaders working throughout your company. This ensures that everyone is on the same page and each department is taken care of if the plan is ever needed.
Ensure The Safety Of Your Business Location
Unfortunately, plans and insurance can only get you so far when disaster strikes. You also need to make sure your building is structurally secured. This may mean browsing generator UK for the generator best suited for your company’s needs, having the roofing redone to prevent leaks, or updating your security system. Maintaining the integrity and safety of your workplace is invaluable.
Hopefully, these few tips will help you develop an emergency response plan as well as a business continuity plan. It may take some extra time, effort, and—most importantly—money, but all your efforts will be well worth it if the need arises. Don’t get too comfortable in day to day minutiae and cancel your workers’ compensation insurance or delay updating your security system just to save a few dollars. Expect the least expected, and keep your business and employees as safe as possible.
If you are interested in even more business-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels, then we have a lot to choose from.
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