Why should I spend time planning for the effect Swine Flu or any emergency could have on my Business?

In its simplest terms a small amount of time doing a basic plan now could save you a lot of money in the future if the pandemic or any other emergency situation happens and could be the difference between your business surviving or not !

Any emergencies not just a flu pandemic can have a detrimental effect on your business, its employees, shareholders, customers and communities.

Considering how an emergency could effect your business will help to:

• Develop a clearer understanding of how the organisation works and where key vulnerabilities are.
• Can yield sources of increased operational effectiveness and efficiency.
• Reduce the impact on the day-to-day functions of the business and your critical business activities are kept operating
• Protect your reputation. Customers expect continuity of services, even in the most challenging of circumstances. They expect you to be fully in control, and to be seen to be in control
• Produce cost benefits - Identifying, preventing and managing disruptions in advance can reduce the costs to an organisation in terms of financial expenditure and management time and you may also be able to drive down your insurance premiums.

What are the basics of a Business Continuity Plan for your business?

You need to ensure that they have:

• Identified critical activities that must be maintained and, by implication, what work could be deferred
• Identified the resources needed to deliver these, (particularly staff in a pandemic)
• Considered both the number of staff and which specialist skills, knowledge or authority are required
• Have available information required by those staff who might be required to deputise for others
• Have arrangements so changes in work priorities can be implemented and resources realigned, in order to maintain critical activities
• Have arrangements to maintain good communications with staff, customers and suppliers

Drawing up you Business Continuity Plan

The following web site will give you simple advice and templates to be followed in drawing up a plan depending on the size of your business www.londonprepared.gov.uk/businesscontinuity/makingplans/

As you work on your plan, always remember that good business continuity plans are:

• flexible
• work on public holidays and in any weather conditions
• clearly written and easily understood
• tested regularly
• integrated into your organisation's structure
• understood and communicated to everyone in the organisation

Don't forget your neighbours
Discuss your arrangements with your neighbours and experts who might become involved, such as the Police or Fire Brigade. To achieve a coordinated response, you and your neighbours must know each others capabilities and willingness to cooperate on matters such as the use of each others emergency equipment, temporary secure storage and so on.

Do not forget the need to communicate plans to other tenants in a multi-occupancy building (e.g. to ensure that different evacuation assembly points have been chosen).

How vulnerable and prepared are your suppliers and subcontractors ?
Businesses should consider the effect an emergency could have on the suppliers and subcontractors on which they depend. In a pandemic staff absences in suppliers may affect the services they are able to provide and the availability of some raw materials.

Swine Flu Pandemic

Unlike some Emergency situations the early phases of a possible Pandemic can give Business time to:-

• Consider increasing the stock of critical supplies and raw materials
• Review staff contact details and those members of staff that may have caring responsibilities for children or elderly relatives etc
• Review who lives close to work if fuel becomes short and public transport difficult.
• Cross train staff to cover critical areas
• Consider home working
• Run a desk top exercise to test your plan and raise awareness amongst staff
• Educate staff about the disease and precautions to reduce the spread.
• Review cleaning practices, the issue of hand wipes for telephones etc and the issue of alcohol-based hand cleaner.

District Councils for further advice - 
Tamworth Borough Council: Tel  01827 709709
Lichfield District Council: Tel 01543 308000. Website: www.lichfielddc.gov.uk