Being a good leader means planning for both the best and the worst outcomes for your team and your worksite in any given situation. Your organization will look to you as a Facility Management Leader for guidance during any crisis event and it’s important that you have a strong emergency preparedness policy in place to guide them through an incident. Additionally, an emergency preparedness policy is crucial because:
- Up to 40% of businesses affected by a natural or human-caused disaster never reopen.
- Customers expect timely service. A significant delay may cause them to turn to a competitor.
- Larger businesses have begun to ask suppliers about their preparedness. They will avoid the risks associated with forming a partnership with an unprepared organization.
- Insurance is only a partial solution. It won’t replace all losses, especially customers.
- Many large-scale disasters may overwhelm public aid resources that can potentially cause assistance delivery delays for your organization.
- News travels fast. Perceptions differ from reality. Quick communication to customers and stakeholders can help keep a damaged perception form spreading.
- Nearly 62% of Ad Council survey respondents said they currently lack a business emergency plan.
In a disaster situation, not all risks can be covered by insurance. For some factors, emergency preparedness may prove the only effective method for disaster management. Your emergency preparedness policy should be consistent with your facility’s mission, roles and responsibilities and:
- Protect the safety of employees, visitors, contractors and other individuals potentially at risk from facility hazards.
- Account for the safety and protection of disabled or functionally impaired individuals.
- Maintain customer service standards before, during and after crises events to the highest degree possible by minimizing overall business interruptions.
- Protect facilities, physical assets and electronic information.
- Prevent environmental contamination.
- Protect the organization’s brand, image and reputation.
Although the development of your organization’s particular emergency preparedness program will be an ongoing work in progress its goals and priorities should not. Ensure these benchmarks can be achieved correctly, at incident, by organizing your facility’s employees around a clear and soundly structured emergency preparedness plan. Assign leadership roles in case of incidence to the correct individuals and supply them with the correct training and emergency preparedness plan understanding to carry out their roles swiftly, intuitively and efficiently. With your best leadership, proper emergency preparedness methodology study and correct preparation initiatives, your facility may avoid encountering the worst, lasting disaster outcomes.
For customized assistance or feedback on developing a viable emergency preparedness program, please contact Vanguard Resources’ facility management experts.
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