Nature is a fearsome beast. Floods, fires, earthquakes, tornadoes – the planet has a way of letting us know when she’s fed up, and it’s not a surprise given the way that we treat it. That’s a conversation for another blog, but if you are a business owner, one of the things that you need to have in your arsenal is a disaster recovery plan.
No matter what time of year it is, it is always best to be prepared.
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Without A Plan
Without one of these written specifically for you, you are going to struggle if there’s a natural disaster. A disaster recovery plan is a common thing to have if you are working from an area prone to fire and flooding, but what about the bigger picture?
Are you planning for a disaster that could impact your small biz?
What Is A Disaster Recovery Plan?
A disaster recovery plan (DRP) is a formal document created by an organization/business that contains detailed instructions on how to respond to unplanned incidents such as natural disasters, power outages, cyber-attacks, and any other disruptive events.
A Disaster Recovery Plan For Small Business
Are you prepared for tornadoes or earthquakes? No matter what the crisis is, you need to know how you plan to handle it from the commercial roofing services you’ll use to repair the roof to what you will do if you lose all your equipment.
A disaster recovery plan isn’t just about money; it’s about equipment and people and what happens to all of that.
A strategy in place early allows you to have a plan that’s thought out and ensures you don’t lose your business.
Here are the elements your strategy needs:
Think About Your Staff
While it’s important that you have your equipment and your business premises as safe as possible, none of that is as important as having a plan for your people.
People are important and you should think about keeping them as safe as possible.
You want to be sure that your people aren’t going to be injured as a result. Make sure that you have a backup plan for people to work remotely, too.
Make Sure That You Have Jobs For Everyone to Recover
Coordinating jobs for your volunteers is vital for your business to be successful with your disaster recovery plan. You need everyone in your business premises aware of the plan and get everyone to muck in.
When the entire organization pulls together, you can ensure that a natural disaster won’t be a detriment to your business.
Everyone has individual needs and that means putting your employees at the top of your list.
Plan For Your Business’s Disaster Recovery Plan
Note that you have a plan for your staff. You need a plan for your business. That means knowing who your insurance provider is and what they can cover for you.
You should also make sure that you have coverage for additional natural disasters, too. This will keep your business a top priority while not putting your people second.
Get Your Managers On Board
Your disaster recovery plan should be known to all of your managers, too. They should each know which customers they’re calling if there is to be a delay in your business and production.
However, as a leader, you are going to have a lot on your plate as it is – make sure you’re not alone. Being able to delegate to others is key to recovery. If you don’t have enough people for that you may want to outsource during the recovery process.
Disaster Recovery Plan For Digital Property
With cyber-attacks on the rise, it is time now to plan for what to do with your digital files. There are 4 ways to store them:
- Full Data Backup – the ability to restore all data quickly.
- Incremental Data Backup – minimal storage, and minimal time to backup.
- Differential Backup – eliminates the need to routinely utilize full data backups.
- Mirror Backup – fastest in terms of backup and restoration times.
Full Set Of Data
However, it is important to have a full set of data stored off-site in case of a calamity at your office or business location. Not only that but you should have 2-3 digital copies stored away as well for backup.
Having a small business lawyer may be a great way to keep that stored away for you.
How To Set Up Your Plan
The video below shows you step-by-step how to prepare your small biz. Furthermore, this video takes you step-by-step to build your own recovery plan if and when disaster strikes your small business.
Your Turn
A plan to recover from a disaster is a great defense for your business – are you equipped? I’d love to hear from you about your plans if a disaster strikes your small business.
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