With hurricane season fast approaching, it is crucial that business owners be prepared for weathering the storm (or, more accurately, storms) that will inevitably come. Though it’s impossible to completely guarantee the severity of an incoming natural disturbance, or its direct impact on any given business, it’s possible – and necessary – to be prepared for the worst. Luckily, there are various safety measures available for business owners to take far before the clouds darken. We know a little something about successfully weathering the storm, having helped Florida businesses do so successfully for over a decade. By taking these four essential tips into account now, you will empower yourself to equip your business with all of the best safety tools right when they’re most needed.
Protect Your People and Place
Of course, the safest option when weathering the storm is to close your business’s (well-shuttered) doors. However, it’s understandable that this step is just not a possibility for certain companies – especially those whose services include housing, caring for, or otherwise servicing people around the clock. If your business is unable to close its doors, take extra measures to make sure your personnel and clients are safe throughout the storm. This means taking the same precautions you would for your own home: boarding up windows, placing sandbags against outside-facing doors, and having alternative sources of power to rely on once the lights go out (more on this one later). Also make sure your business location is stocked with flashlights, batteries, water, and nonperishable food in a waterproof container.
Even if it is possible for employees to work remotely or not at all, the best practice is to make sure all of your team members are accounted for following the storm. Keep organized lists of every on- and off-site employee, and be thorough about checking up on them during and after the storm. In the likely event that the power does go out, check up on off-site employees as soon as possible to avoid calling a dead phone.
Protect Your Assets
In this day and age, it’s likely that your business assets exist in various forms: your building or office, furnishings, technology, files, and – of course – the precious data that is likely as essential as it is irreplaceable. As you’re preparing for weathering the storm, think about the intangible assets handled by your business as carefully as you would about your physical property. If you rely on an in-house server to store your data, make sure all of it is backed up in multiple external locations. If possible, migrate as much data as possible to cloud-based systems, which auto-save and can be accessed from any device outside of your office. Even after having taken all precautions to weather the storm, it’s possible that water damage might occur; take extra measures to make sure the destruction doesn’t permanently hurt your business.
Keep Communication Channels Open (Even If It Means Setting Up New Ones)
Communication with your workforce and clients is crucial for successfully weathering the storm, and it’s important to prepare for the possibility that traditional communication channels may become unavailable – especially if it’s necessary to have personnel at work during the worst of it. Never allow yourself to become unable to communicate with your staff by assuming someone’s phone will have enough battery life or otherwise come out unscathed. Instead, look into emergency communication software and store battery-operated walkie-talkies in waterproof containers for effective internal communication during and after the storm.
Keep the Power On
By far the most important practice to consider in weathering the storm is taking special care to keep the lights on. By investing in a durable, quality generator, you’ll circumvent many of the challenges prevented by storm-related power outages. With generators, your team will have access to the internet, charging stations, communication channels, and numerous other business essentials. Regardless of the size or scope of your company, there are various generator options available to ensure that all of your emergent needs are met. In order to speak to a group of experts and determine which generator is best for your business, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
The challenges presented by inclement weather are no joke, and it’s crucial to be proactive about preparing for them. Weathering the storm means being prepared, communicating effectively, and making sure your people, infrastructure, and assets are taken care of. The safest way to guarantee this is to take all foreseeable measures to guarantee that your power stays on. To make sure you’re prepared, learn more about your options.
