Takatū ana te mahi Work Ready

Risks can include natural hazards, health emergency and utility failures.

If you have staff, talk to them about the risks they think are most relevant to your business.

An important step to being prepared is identifying possible risks and how they would impact your business.

Things to think about:

• Your building may be damaged.
• The area where your business is located may be affected and you may not have access.
• The power may be off for several days and your business may not have access to water.
• Your staff may have been injured, need to look after their family members or cannot get home – or into work.
• Following an emergency event your customers may move away from the area or there is no longer a demand for what you sell.

Staff are your most important asset. They bring unique skills and knowledge, hold key relationships, and provide a high level of flexibility to your organisation. During a time of disruption your staff could be the difference between success and failure.

How can you look after your staff:

• Make sure they have a household emergency plan in place, so they know who to contact in an emergency and have a plan to get home safely.
• Provide supplies for your staff and encourage them to keep a supply of essential items they may need at work. In an emergency, your staff may be stuck at work or unable to take transport home.
• Talk to your disabled staff. Find out what support they might need in an emergency event. Also think about how you might need to help any customers who have a disability.
• Encourage your staff to have a personal workplace emergency  kit at their desk, in a work vehicle, or a common area where they work in case, they get stuck their during an event.

Personal workplace emergency kit: 

• Water
• Waterproof clothing and sturdy walking shoes
• Snack food
• Torch
• Mobile Phone
• Any essential medicines

Look after your staff, your clients, and your bottom line with a Business Continuity Plan (BCP).

A Business Continuity Plan identifies how your business can keep its essential functions up and running following an emergency.

Your plan should include the following:

• Your staff
• Identify your core business needs, and how you’d manage in an emergency
• Essential suppliers, equipment and key customers
• Back-up your data
• Practise the plan

Use this ‘Business Continuity Planning Guide to step you through what you’ll need to create your own BCP.

Download the ‘Business Continuity Template’

Building relationships is important.

Get to know your local Chamber of Commerce, central and local government, industry organisations, business neighbours, competitors and suppliers. Talk to them about their emergency and Business Continuity Plans. In an emergency, you may be able to help each other get back up and running faster.