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Survey Shows Strong Need for Improved Safety Planning

January 29, 2013

Despite repeated warnings and "reminders" like Hurricane Sandy, recent evidence shows employees may not be prepared for disasters or emergencies at work. A 2012 survey conducted by Staples.com found that 50% of office workers have either never taken part in a safety drill or participate only once every few years.

Numerous studies have demonstrated that companies lacking sound emergency plans for employees during catastrophic situations are unlikely to be able to swiftly recover and restart business operations.  The numbers support this finding: According to the Institute for Business and Home Safety, roughly one-fourth of businesses do not reopen after a major disaster.

A major catastrophic event – natural or man-made – can quickly sap the financial, material, and personal resources companies rely upon to survive, let alone thrive.  Without planning, preparation and practice, organizations will consistently sustain a much greater loss in the event of an emergency.  After a disaster, the longer a business is forced to stay closed, the greater the loss of its customer base.

Mark Cautela, Public Relations Manager at Staples.com noted that fires and explosions occur in roughly 70,000 American businesses each year, resulting in nearly 200 employee fatalities.  Data gathered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) show that about 1,200 tornadoes occur every year in the United States and virtually all states have the possibility of experiencing a moderate to severe earthquake.

Make a Plan, Talk About It

Poll results showed that 70% of managers said their company has an emergency communication plan, but nearly half of office workers were either unsure if such a plan existed or said their company does not have a plan.

Emergency experts stress that a means of communication with staff and first responders is a necessity and that plans must be in place to run the operation if access to its facilities is precluded.  Businesses need to conduct a thorough risk analysis to help reduce their downtime and increase the chances of a successful recovery. This can help executives understand the potential of all risks associated with an operation and allow them to develop a recovery plan.

Small Businesses Must Take Extra Precautions

Cautela noted that small businesses have an even greater need to put an emergency plan in place so that they can “protect the lifeblood of their business, their employees, and ensure that they’ll be able to re-open for business as soon as possible.”

For small businesses, the same person if often responsible for many roles: IT, payroll, and sales may all fall under one employee’s job description.  Sole proprietorships and limited partnerships often have no one to fall back on after a disaster, having little in the way of capital resources or human resources, Cautela said.

There are a number of supplies that experts recommend small businesses have in place prior to an emergency, including first aid kits, fire extinguishers, personal protective equipment, flashlights, surge protectors, equipment to clean up and notify employees of spills, and, if possible, defibrillators.

Staples.com’s survey showed that managers were almost 50% more likely than non-managers to be able to locate these safety-related supplies.  It appears that it’s not enough for companies to have these supplies available; what’s equally important is making workers aware of where they’re stored.

One additional note: From suppliers to buyers, parties that support any given business should be made aware of the disaster plan and the role they will play when problems arise.  As Cautela noted, “Businesses should make sure that both their customers and any critical vendors are aware of any disruption in business and that plans are in place to get back up and running as soon as possible.” 

June 9, 2016

Many of us have worked with a bad boss in our lifetime. Remember the micro-manager, the yeller,  the softy, the one who’s never there, and/or the boss who takes all the credit for your work? We've all experienced trials and tribulations working under these leadership styles. "It’s frustrating," we say to ourselves, "but that's life." What if, though, we could somehow magically transform supervisors of this sort into competent, inspiring leaders?

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