Hurricane Preparedness Blog

Who will do the work if your employees’ homes are damaged?
What will it cost you to replace key employees who have no place to live?
Can you afford not to make employee preparedness part of your HR program?

The problem is risk

We all understand the value of providing employees with health benefits. Without proper medical treatment, illnesses translate to higher absenteeism and reduced productivity. Simply put, it is in the best interest of your business to care for the health and well-being of your employees.

How does this relate to hurricanes? According to the US Department of Labor Statistics, over 40% of all companies that experience a disaster never reopen, and over 25% of the remaining companies close within two years!

While some businesses fail due to catastrophic losses of facilities and inventory, the rest are simply not able to pull their team back to together. No business can operate without productive employees, and no business is free from the risk. But, like health care, every business can do something to mitigate it.

The solution is preparedness

After a disaster, preparedness is what separates those businesses that succeed from those that fail. The employee that has to wait in line for bottled water, tarps, and basic supplies will not be the employee that reports to work when you need him. The employee that has a hurricane kit in place, a plan of action for staying or leaving his/her home, and the communications tools to keep you informed will be there to run your business.

Resources for your business

• OneStorm Business Preparedness
• Florida Business Disaster Planning
• Ready.gov Business Preparedness
• SBA Disaster Recovery Plan (PDF)
• Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS)
• CDC Emergency Preparedness for Business

Get planning!