Plan for Disasters: Your First Business Resolution

Just before the holidays, one of our product managers at a client company suffered the loss of his home. He and his wife, their three little children, and the family dog are all safe, but they had no time to save anything else. Their home and everything they owned, burned to the ground.

Fortunately, coworkers and friends rallied and... the immediate needs of the family for clothing, toys, diapers, the little necessities of daily life, were met through generous donations by coworkers in the couples’ workplaces. Fortunately, too, they were able to move in with parents who lived near them. Not ideal, but at least, they have a safety net, and can continue their lives at work and home without severe interruption.

This sad situation was a powerful reminder that the need for record retention and a visual representation of possessions is critical in the event of a disaster. The lesson applies both at work and home. Can you imagine the pain of trying to reproduce burned employee records and history? Or, in the event of a fire, your company may have backup records on office equipment purchases but how about the cherished possessions of your employees?

This is where a Human Resources Information System (HRIS) becomes critical to your disaster planning. Properly entered, daily backed up employee records, that are also saved at a secure offsite location, could one day save the day for your company. Even offices that are small or may not yet need an HRIS need fireproof files and duplicate employee and business records at a secure external location. Plan before it matters.

More About Disaster Planning

• Survive the Unthinkable - Crisis Planning.
• Business Continuity in a Nutshell.
• Business Continuity Planning.
• When Tragedy Strikes: Eleven Tips.

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