In 2013, the tragic flooding in Colorado demonstrated that catastrophic disasters can strike almost anywhere. Businesses should protect their employees and their assets with a comprehensive disaster and business continuity plan. What are some of the elements of comprehensive disaster and business continuity plans, and what should your business specifically do to help your employees during a disaster? Last year, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) released highlights from a disaster planning session conducted at a SHRM conference.
To begin, it is important to understand that the most important element of any disaster and business continuity plan is communication. Even a well-planned and documented plan is useless if it is filed away and your employees are unaware of its existence. A good plan should be written in plain language that is clear and concise. Select employees should be assigned specific responsibilities and all employees should be made aware of these designations. Regular drills should be conducted to keep employees informed and trained during disasters and emergency contact information should be collected and distributed to employees.
When it comes to disasters, employees really are a company’s most valuable asset, especially when specifically forming a business continuity plan. For some companies, business continuity begins and ends with housing, such as temporary lodging that is employer-provided or reimbursed. What are some elements of a business continuity plan that are less obvious? Does your plan accommodate for prescription drug refills or out-of-network reimbursement for workers who are separated from a healthcare network? Do you have a contingency plan for payroll and benefits? Finally, does your disaster plan and business continuity plan conform to federal and state employment laws, such as the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act – just to name a few?
If you need assistance forming a disaster and business continuity plan, seeking professional HR guidance will ensure that your plan is comprehensive, practical and legal.