What Businesses Can Do
Before a Disaster
- Prepare a clear plan for enabling employees to participate in response and recovery by helping them meet family needs in advance.
- Maintain the necessary financial relationships to ensure that employees’ paychecks are issued and a backup plan for delivery when direct deposit is not used.
- Ensure that employees and their families have guidance on developing a personal support kit and family disaster plan.
- Establish expectations of all employees—both essential leadership and all other employees—in personnel policy and labor agreements, with options for dealing with failure to meet those expectations.
- Establish a clear communication method for employees to provide up-to-date information about employee expectations and needs.
Make sure to have a Business Continuity Plan and Recovery Plan and practice it through Exercises and drills. Participate in exercises and drills when Emergency Management has drills. Make sure the Leadership of the business has a good relationship with the local Chamber of Commerce, Government, and Emergency Management. To learn more, click here to learn about the Tooele County Tooele Public, Private Partnership (TP3)
Getting the local economy working again is vital to launching a successful comeback. Restarting the economic engine depends on a number of factors:
- A willingness and capacity of business to reopen quickly if facilities aren’t severely damaged or to rebuild in the community.
- Affordable and available housing for workers.
- Large employers with business continuity plans who can get up and running quickly to launch the economic comeback.
- Strong connections between government and business to facilitate a recovery partnership.
- The owner’s ability to adapt to the new, post-disaster environment.
During Recovery
Regardless of the industry to which they cater, businesses are at the hub of any local city, town, or community. The services and products they provide help communities withstand a critical event and recover so much more quickly after disaster strikes.
Ways your business can help in recovery:
- Empower your staff and employees to make adjustments as needed. Allow the business and your employees to volunteer within the community.
- Keep your business running as smoothly as possible. Engage employees and staff to continue to work despite the disruption. Help by getting them involved in the rebuilding process for your business.
- Connect with outside parties that have resources to enable your business to continue to function properly.
- Make sure you involve all levels in the Business Continuity planning and Disaster Recovery Lessons learned to improve in resiliency and recovery.
