The 2019 hurricane season is in full swing.  If you haven’t put together a plan to ensure business continuity and protect your staff, now is the time.  Developing a plan offers assurance to both employers and their team members.  Need some help?  Here are five things you can do now to begin preparations.

Inventory Assets
Networks, data, equipment, technology, supplies, products, and facilities are just a few of the assets at risk during a hurricane. Threats include not only flooding and high winds, but gas shortages and power outages.  Identify the following assets now to prevent stress and headaches later:

  • Where are your assets located?
  • What kind of physical protection is available for each asset?
  • Which assets are critical to running the business?
  • Are these assets owned or insured?
  • What assets are leased and what is your responsibility if they are damaged?

Back Up Data and Test It
This is a common practice often overlooked.  Ensure your data is backed up to an offsite location to safeguard against on-premises damage (flooding or fires can destroy on-site servers).  And, don’t assume your backup technology is working automatically. Take the time to recover information from the backup system to be sure you know both that it works and how to access critical information

Set Up Cloud Systems
Disaster recovery is why cloud-based systems are the preferred choice by IT professionals. If you need to work from a different location, you want to be certain you can access key business systems and data from mobile devices. This may include payroll, CRM, and HR systems. If you haven’t converted such systems to the cloud, now is the time.

Develop a Solid Communication System
Even if the internet is down due to a power outage, you should still be able to relay vital information to your team.  Make sure you have accurate contact information of your staff and determine an alternate means of connecting (such as a text message service or social media page).   Knowing how to reach your employees and vendors is a vital part of helping your business to quickly recover from a disaster.

Outline a Plan Now and Assign Tasks
Prepare a plan ahead of time, so you can react and activate your catastrophic response team as soon as the storm leaves town.  Assign staff with specific tasks and communicate responsibilities to ensure they have the resources and technology needed.  Let everyone know who is on each team and who they can look to for specific information.