Is your organization prepared for the unexpected?  Every year, billions of dollars are lost and businesses fail due to man-made and natural disasters. Yet most organizations take an “it can't happen here” approach to emergency preparedness. In recent years, most Floridians learned that the chance is good your organization will experience some type of crisis.  Having a useful plan can keep your business viable and your workforce employed.  In this article, I will outline the four elements of emergency management planning that can save lives and assets.

There are four phases to disaster preparedness.  It is important to discuss these issues with your leadership team far in advance of any situation.  Let’s face it, sometimes it takes a long time to make decisions within our organizations…discuss these issues now so you aren’t rushed in an emergency. 

Step #1 - CREATE a plan

We all know that having a plan is important.  There are several things that you should consider as you design the plan components.    

Designating the person who will be in charge is one of the most crucial decisions you will make.  It is important to recognize those people who have the capability to fulfill the responsibilities of a leadership position in an emergency.  This decision might not be made by job title alone.  For example, a safety director or facilities manager might seem like the logical choice, but those individuals might have personal obligations that will distract them.  Have conversations with your key employees well in advance.  Find out if they would be able to stay and handle a crisis.  If necessary, make sure that there are pieces in place to help them personally, so they can remain focused on your operation.  Examples would be offering to help them with care for a pet or having their hurricane shutters put up for them. 

Emergency and disaster preparedness is not just weather driven.  Organizations should have a plan that includes other workplace incidents (fire, workplace violence, planned demonstrations or accidents.)  When looking at your operation, you will want to consider if your business slows or shuts down during emergencies….or do you get busy?  I once worked for a hotel that actually got much busier when a hurricane was coming.  The hotel’s location was far enough inland that it was utilized by people who were evacuating their homes.  It was important for us to make sure that we had plenty of supplies to handle the unexpected.  It was also important for us to make sure that we had plenty of staff available to service the guests.

Determine also a definitive time when the plan will go into effect.  In cases of weather, it might be when a certain level of advisory begins.  Once you set that time, make sure everyone knows it:  your employees, your vendors, your clients, and anyone else that you do business with.

Find a location for the team to meet regularly and have it equipped with supplies and communication tools that will help them make sound decisions.  Depending upon your organization, it might be better to meet off site.  You will want your command center to have adequate space and resources like a television set and/or radio, so staff can stay informed.

Step #2 - COMMUNICATE the plan

Especially when you are talking about hurricane season, it is important to send out a copy of your plan to employees before the season starts.  Also, schedule a meeting to review the key elements of the plan.  Get people thinking about the plan and what happens when the plan goes into effect.

Once the plan is in effect, employees need to know that you are operating under the plan’s guidelines.  You will also want to inform the people you interact with externally of the situation.  For example, if you are expecting applicants, let them know whether or not this is still a good time to conduct interviews.  I once was a part of an emergency response team for an airline crash.  We immediately pulled all of our recruitment advertising and kept applicants informed of the situation.  Don’t forget to let your customers and vendors know if you are open for business as usual. 

In addition to letting your internal and external customers know what’s going on, it will be important to plan how the message will be conveyed.  In this day of computer technology, we have to consider how we would access information during a power outage, from a remote location, etc.

Educating your managers on how to communicate with the media is money well spent.  During normal operations, you might have one or two people who speak on behalf of the company.  In times of crisis, it might be necessary to expand that number and you will want to know that those employees feel confident and comfortable speaking with the media.

All of us are busy but finding time for regular review meetings throughout the year is a critical part of the process.  The most common mistake businesses make is waiting until something happens to dust off the plan and read it.  Make the commitment to meet every month and use real life incidents that you read about in the news as a way to discuss how you would handle similar situations.  The airline that I worked for was openly commended in the press for the professional way they handled the crisis.  I attribute that to our regular meetings and the emergency simulations that we held. 

Step #3 – Determine your CONSIDERATIONS for times of emergency/crisis

Many companies already have contingency plans for their critical records - employee files, computer files, payroll, and client files.  Don’t forget to have plenty of cash on hand in case you need to purchase supplies or employees run out of cash.  Businesses might want to speak with their banks and credit card providers to have increased credit limits on corporate cards in times of emergency.

It might also be necessary to change the way you do business in terms of scheduling – flexible hours, reduced schedules, and/or telecommuting.  Come up with imaginative ways to maintain productivity well in advance of any need.  During Hurricane Wilma, I discovered that several local office supply retailers were offering fax services and laptop recharging as a way to assist customers (and potential customers) who were displaced from their offices.

Times of emergency are when the community comes together.  Discuss as an organization whether or not you will need assistance with temporary lodging, food, gas, and/or clothing for employees.  Think about organizations that can help you and organizations that might need your help.  I know of several businesses that merged offices with their partners during Hurricane Wilma so everyone could be efficient. 

Lastly, remember that everyone deals with emergencies in a different way.  Research the names of people or organizations that can provide employee counseling in times of crisis.  Helping your team work through stressful times is both a benefit for you and for them.

Step #4 - CONSTANTLY improve the plan

Whether you fully implement the entire plan or just a few pieces, after an event happens, the most important step is to review the plan for accuracy and improvement.  Keeping information current will be a key to handling emergencies successfully in the future.  After all, successful companies are constantly improving operations; so make sure that your emergency plans are kept up-to-date with the rest of your business.

Sharlyn Lauby, SPHR is the President of ITM Group, Inc. in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.  ITM (Internal Talent Management) provides strategic and technical consulting services to enhance talent in the workplace.  For more information, go to www.itmgroupinc.com.