Business owners wear many hats. They are planners, financial managers, logistics experts, manufacturers or service providers, and employers who often hire and train their own staff. In a recent conversation with a small business owner he said he had made a couple improvements to ensure the needs of his family in the event of a natural disaster. Until we had an informal conversation about it, he hadn't really thought of making a plan for his business or considered how an unforeseen situation could affect his employees or disrupt business operations. He is very bright.
This new insight has allowed him to consider implementing small business changes that could make the difference in keeping his doors open under adverse conditions.
Planning does not have to be limited to natural or manmade disasters, but a good plan does include a simple analysis of the hazards a business could face and cost-effective plans to reduce the impact of each hazard. Some businesses have added contingeny plans to survive periods of decreased income due to lessons learned during the recent economic downturn. In addition, businesses may plan for acute unforeseen needs of employees. These needs might include a sudden catastropic diagnosis, a serious accident or unexpected property or financial loss of an employee or family member. A humane approach calls for small owners and managers to know how to support employees through a life crisis without going broke. Recently, an assistant manager employed by a popular restaurant chain was grateful for information about how a lady with cancer could receive donations to help defray medical expenses through a website that charges no fees.
No comments:
Post a Comment