After a Disaster...

We talk a lot about preparing for disruptions and disasters, but sometimes we don't talk enough about what to do after something happens. Perhaps these steps should be included in your business continuity plan. This week's articles can help you figure out what after disaster should strikes.

Here's information to help small business owners make post-disaster business decisions. (Item #1)     Chubb offers tips on what to do after a disaster. (Item #2)     Find out what steps you can take to help minimize business losses after a natural disaster. (Item #3)    

Check out these 10 recovery actions you must take after a disaster. (Item #4)     In the wake of a natural disaster, having a business continuity plan and handling your employees with compassion can make the transition back to work much easier and quicker for everyone. (Item #5)     Here are some steps you can take to help you recover and rebuild your business. (Item #6)    

As always, I look forward to hearing about your concerns with regard to business continuity. If there are any topics that you'd like to see covered, email me at [email protected].

Bob Mellinger, President
Attainium Corp

1. After the Disaster... What Should I Do Now?

During a PERI-funded research project, we worked with more than 120 small business owners and managers of not-for-profit organizations all across the country to understand what happens to them following various natural disasters. We've talked with some a few months after the disaster, with some as many as seven years after the event, and, with still others, every year for five years after the disaster. We've reached several important conclusions that should weigh heavily on any business owner's decisions about what to do with his or her business in the aftermath of a major disaster:
http://www.hrsbdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/AftertheDisaster.pdf

2. Tips for Resuming Business Operations after a Disaster

In the wake of a disaster, there are a number of steps you should take to resume business operations quickly. A return to normalcy requires collaboration among employees, suppliers, vendors, customers, insurance companies, insurance agents and brokers, government agencies and financial institutions, to name a few.
http://www.chubb.com/businesses/cci/chubb1073.pdf

3. Lost Business after a Natural Disaster

As extreme weather, wildfires, and other natural disasters make news headlines, business owners may wonder about how to prevent and deal effectively with lost business after a natural disaster. It is estimated that approximately twenty-five to forty percent of disaster-impacted businesses do not reopen their operations after a natural disaster. To help improve your odds of restarting your business, there are a number of preventative and remedial measures you can undertake to help reduce lost business property and income in the wake of a natural disaster.
http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/lost-business-after-natural-disaster.html

4. After a Disaster: 10 Steps You Must Take

When a disaster hits, parts (or all) of your business and the world around it may literally fall apart. And if you want to minimize the overall impact on ongoing business--and even stay in business for that matter--there is precious little time for processing what's happened. You need to act quickly. And acting quickly and decisively under the tremendous stress and confusion associated with any disaster requires some forethought. So what do you need to do?
https://www.interstaterestoration.com/blog/after-disaster-10-steps-you-must-take

5. Disaster Recovery: 5 Ways You Can Help Employees Return to Work

Hit by Hurricane Isaac a few weeks ago, many business owners have reopened their doors and are getting back to business as normal. But with so many people still cleaning up their homes and neighborhoods, some employers are struggling with the question: How can I help my employees get back to work? Here are a few things you can do to help your employees manage their work life and personal challenges.
http://www.insperity.com/blog/disaster-recovery-5-ways-you-can-help-employees-return-to-work/

6. Recovering and rebuilding after a disaster: Part 1 -- Where to begin?

As you begin to rebuild your life and your business following a disaster, knowing where to start can be extremely difficult. Here are some steps that can help you decide where to begin. (Parts 2-7 are accessible after the article)
https://missouribusiness.net/article/recover-rebuild-disaster1-where-to-begin/