Natural disasters seem like the biggest nightmare for everyone, but they are also a tragic reality for all business realms. You get up one day and see your business, your life’s hard work, your passion now under flood water or a smoldering ruin. A natural disaster can hit anyone, anywhere, so it’s important for every business to always stay prepared. It has been estimated that around 74% of business owners do not have a proper disaster recovery plan. Some don’t even have one. A sprinkler or fire system malfunction can cause your business to rundown for several weeks. Having a proper strategy is essential for keeping your business operational.
Businesses owners coping with natural disasters can follow these simple steps to get their businesses back up and become functional as soon as possible.
Find Different Facilities
Seek help from other nearby businesses to see if they can provide a temporary space of operations for your business. You can in-exchange offer them some services that can be helpful. It will potentially save you on various short-term expenses and rental costs. If you start an official business together, they can even lend you some equipment or workforce to keep your business operational after a natural disaster. Meanwhile, you can find disasters, floods, or fires restoration or clean-up services provided by professional companies. For instance, fire and flood damage restoration companies such as Clear Choice are functional throughout Leed and Yorkshire will help you with fire or flood clean-up. It allows commercial businesses to diminish the flood damage level by incorporating a series of clean-up services. Expert service providers of insurance reinstatement and facilities management Leeds and Yorkshire offer every company a flexible contract. That includes all the services required to recover from a natural disaster. Such services help you focus on different areas of your business that need more attention while taking over the responsibility of cleaning up your base of operation.
Contact Your Workers
Ensure everyone is completely safe, and then find out how many of your workers will report in for work. You can’t make a proper plan without knowing your available workforce. Most of your employees will have to cope with their family issues, so splitting their shifts or giving them some time off is better. If you make your workforce feel overworked and undervalued during a tragic natural disaster, they may resign. That could leave you badly understaffed.
Contact Your Business Insurance Company
Document all your damage or losses and contact your business insurance company as soon as possible. However, it’s also imperative to stay ready to take all damage control steps for quick recovery. For example, you must tarp any leaking or damaged roof to prevent excessive water from ruining your office. Few policies contain loopholes, so it’s clever to ask your insurance agent if you’re expected to carry out such actions. The quicker you file an insurance claim, the better it will be for your business. Every business must contact their insurance companies and inform them about any damage or disastrous situations. If you make an insurance claim sooner, you’ll receive your payout quicker. It will be essential in recovering the financial costs that natural disasters have caused to your business.
Recognize Crucial Business Activities
Business owners who can’t shut down their businesses should determine whether they must shift operations to some temporary space nearby. Again, they need to consult with their employees about that particular location and ensure they can reach there easily. A business site much away may cause significant transportation problems for your workforce. Try selecting a nearby area or one accessible by public transport or local bus lines. Those are generally up and running promptly. You can also consider having your workforce work from home until you recover from the crisis.
Save Your Entire Important Business Data
Data is imperative to every business, and losing that can result in unnecessary and unpleasant addition to an already existing unfortunate situation. Experts suggest that every business must secure their hard drives having important data stored in them. If you cannot access cloud-based services such as Google Drive or Dropbox, you need to ensure that you have protected your data somewhere more secure. Most importantly, all the business financial and customer data need the most protection.
Start A Campaign on Different Social Media Platforms
Social media is a critical element in starting a funding campaign. Raising funds is essential to keep your entire business afloat. With your friends, family, workforce, and several loyal clients spreading the word, you will be surprised to see how promptly you can raise funds. Many people worldwide who suffered natural disasters such as fires, floods, hurricanes, and more have initiated GoFundMe campaigns to recover from such situations. Up till now, more than two million dollars has been raised for the people in need, and it continues. To make such funding campaigns more viral, the campaign organizers must share them frequently on different social media platforms. Successful and better fundraising is all about having the word out to your connections.
Take Your Time to Recuperate
Every business requires to operate as quickly as possible after a natural disaster strikes it. However, it’s necessary not to forget that business managers, workers, and bosses are human beings. They will require some time to recover from that anguish and disruption. Due to that reason, it is extremely important to ensure your employees are physically and mentally stable and are prepared to commence their work.
Permit Flexible Working or A Modification of Scenery
If your office is ready for everyone to return to work, having a changed landscape can help employees affected by a natural disaster at work get over the event. Allowing your workers to work from home or a different location can make them feel more comfortable and mentally ready to return to work. Having remote working technologies and a cloud-based system in place can let your company operate from anywhere, even if your office isn’t yet ready.
Conclusion
Natural disasters have affected countless lives and continue to do so almost every year. Businesses will always be vulnerable to such situations if they don’t take proper measures. Following a natural disaster, every business wants to become operational as soon as possible. However, it’s essential to consider every aspect of initiating your business again, including your employees and overall health. Implementing these crucial steps can help your business quickly recover after a natural disaster strikes it.
