Most businesses strive to be sleek and agile. They work with the minimum number of employees. They invest in the equipment they need and no more. They calculate the ROI of every aspect of customer outreach. And when things are good, that works beautifully. But if there’s one lesson we’ve learned from COVID, it’s that being too streamlined can leave you stranded during a crisis. If business resiliency is your goal, you have to plan for alternatives in every aspect of your operations.
Employees
For small businesses especially, the number of employees is kept low. It makes sense – employees are expensive. Salaries, benefits, office equipment – it adds up fast. The downside of this, though, is that essential information easily gets siloed in key employees. If one of those people is unable to get back to work after a crisis, your business is in trouble. Maybe they literally can’t access your facilities because the roads are gone. Maybe their family has been left homeless and they have to focus on finding safe housing. Maybe the worst scenario has occurred and they have not survived the disaster.
What this means for your company depends on how well you have documented their processes. Knowledge management is a big part of business resiliency after a crisis – and it starts with what your key employees do and how they do it. Even if no one else knows how to do what they do, you should have documentation that will lead them through it. This is the type of redundancy that can keep you afloat.
Energy
The power grid is often the first system down during a disaster – and it can take a while to be restored. In terms of business resiliency, there are two ways you can approach this. One, you can arrange for back-up energy supplies. Two, you can reduce how much energy you need to run your business.
Gas-powered generators are the easy first choice – but not always the best one. These require continual access to gas, which may be hard to come by after a crisis. Solar-powered generators are another option – if you get enough sunlight most days to run them. Beyond generators, an onsite solar microgrid with battery backup is another way to meet your energy needs, even at night or on cloudy days.
Regardless of your option, the less energy you require, the longer your backup will sustain you. Everything you can do now to reduce your energy consumption will keep you in business longer during a crisis.
Equipment
The idea of redundancy in equipment seems ludicrous – are you really expected to buy two of every piece of equipment? No, of course not. In this case, redundancy means planning for outsourcing of functions or having backup facilities you can use.
Both of those options require time to research. Relationships also need to be built so that you can reach out in a crisis and know whom to talk to. Ideally, your business will have a resiliency plan that allows for alternate facilities that you can switch to if needed. It also means knowing which vendors can handle parts – or all – of your process so you can resume operations swiftly.
You Have to Start Planning Now for Business Resiliency
It’s a lot easier to create an evacuation plan than it is to ensure business resiliency. That requires redundancy in three key areas – employees, energy, and equipment. That’s what will keep your business going in a crisis.
Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash