No matter how big or small your business is, it is possible that a swine flu crisis could have an impact on it. In the event that the swine flu becomes a regional, national, or global issue, you need to make some special considerations for keeping your business up and running in the face of adversity. From your computer systems to employee responsibilities and human resources issues, there are several steps you can take to fortify your business to face a swine flu outbreak.
Protect Business Systems
From an IT perspective, an outbreak of swine flu may have a negative impact on your business if employees are not able to access their work files from home. Explore the possibility of adopting an infrastructure system that allows employees to access data securely at any time. Advancements in telecommunications have made developing a great corporate network fast, easy and affordable.
Cross-Train Employees
Many small businesses rely on the skills and knowledge of key employees to manage critical business functions. These functions might include payroll, placing orders for supplies, or scheduling employees. In the event that key employees are impacted by the swine flu or any other crisis situation, it is important to have a backup plan. Start cross-training your employees to perform critical functions so that no one critical step is reliant upon any one individual. This will protect your business from falling apart if employees or their families are directly impacted by a crisis situation.
Update Emergency Contact Information
Make sure that your human resource staff continually updates the emergency contact information for all employees. This is important in the event of any medical emergency that could take place onsite, and for notifying employees or family members of critical information. It might be wise to archive at least two emergency contacts for each employee, just in case the first one cannot be reached during a crisis.
It’s never too early to start developing a detailed crisis management plan for your business. These three steps will position your business to manage a swine flu outbreak – or any other crisis – in an efficient manner.
