Small Business Disaster Planning Checklist

Risk Preparation in Business: Key to fight Natural Disasters

In India, companies are not generally prepared for any kind of disaster but it is imperative to have a plan in place. Many small business owners do not understand the importance of a natural disaster plan. Being a business owner you might be ready for internal & external business challenges but you should also be ready for the challenges that Mother Nature throws your way. Unpredictable disasters can cause extensive damage and might take everything that you have; but proper business disaster planning can reduce the loss. You need to understand that it does not take a major disaster to impact your business; even a power failure that can shut down your phone systems can lead to a revenue loss.

Before going forward let’s discuss the business disaster planning checklist:- 

1. Transfer all your business documents to the cloud

• Whether your business is threatened by any disaster; such as fire, heavy rain, earthquake, permanent loss of critical documents can be devastating.
• To avert the loss of your paper documents and records, you must move all your documents to the cloud.
• Make sure you digitalize your entire systems and documents to ensure access to your employees to continue working on the projects.
• Make a proper business disaster planning checklist to avoid any kind of hassles during the disaster. Make sure you train your employees and share the business disaster planning checklist with them so that they are also prepared for the worse.

2. Safety first

• The safety of you and your employees is of primary importance during an emergency.
• Every business must have an escape plan and should test this plan regularly with their employees to ensure its viability.
• Make sure you provide proper training and workshops to fight back during a disaster.
• Ensure business disaster planning, backed up with proper medical support.

3. Enough funds and insurance to cover the expenses

• It is important to have enough funds to cover up the operational expenses, inventory, and payroll.
• Do not wait for any kind of disaster to seek insurance. Insurance will help you and your business recover the loss that happened during the disaster.
• The insurance policy can help you to cover the damage of inventory, building, computers, big machines, and antique cash registration.
• Make sure you have 2-3 policies in your hand for your business.

4. Everything else

• Make a business disaster planning checklist that is easy to access and clear to everyone.
• Make sure your business supplies are well stocked.
• Make a list of all the emergency contact numbers of your employees, including the nearest police station, fire station, lawyer, local suppliers, and utility or any other emergency management service.
• You should regularly test your business disaster planning with your employees to prepare them for the worse.
• Pen down all the important processes and functions of your business and bills you have to pay regardless of the circumstances.
• Have a digital copy of your contracts, leases, and at least one person other than you should have the ways and means to access it.
• Be prepared if the insured fund or loan fund does not arrive immediately.

Business disaster planning is one of those things that you should always prepare for but we hope you never use it. Building a business disaster planning checklist can help you go a long way in channelizing your disaster response mode. Owners need to be prepared for everything that can harm the business and they need to have a disaster plan in place to minimize the impact of the disaster on their livelihood.