Preparing for the Worst

We have all seen the disturbing news coverage of workplace emergencies. Some are natural disasters, involving weather and circumstances that cannot be foreseen. Some occur through negligence. Some of the most upsetting are when people lose their lives at work because someone has entered the premises and begins to shoot employees.

Does you organization know what to do should one of these scenarios arise at your place of business? All too often, there are either no plans, or inadequate plans for how to handle emergent issues. There tends to be an increase in activity after there is an incident reported on the news, but as busy schedules resume, the emergency preparation planning gets placed on the back burner.

This is not a mistake anyone should make when prioritizing what to manage in the workplace. Simply put, safety trumps everything. Every time.

There are many choices to consider when establishing an emergency plan for your organization. The best approach is to take a comprehensive look at your organization and customize a plan that is very specific to your situation. It is often very helpful to bring in someone that specializes in this area from outside the company to take a look at things in an unbiased manner. Utilizing the leadership team and identifying a core team of internal people to support the process is also a best practice. At the end of the planning stage, a formal document should be produced that is then disseminated throughout the organization with full training that allows everyone to understand exactly what should be done if an emergency occurs.

The customization of the response to an emergency is key to success in the overall process. Each place of business is unique. Some plans can be overlaid from workplace to workplace, but in each instance it is vital to consider how they work for your group. The other decision that is paramount is where to house the information. There are many options that use digital platforms so employees can access an application from their cellular devise versus reaching for a manual.

Sound overwhelming? It doesn't have to be. And make no mistake, cost is not a factor if priorities are in line. Organizations simply cannot afford not to support these planning processes. The last place anyone wants to be is in a reactionary mode and wonder forevermore, "what if".....

SES is thoroughly versed in leading emergency preparedness for organizations large and small. Let's begin the conversation, and see how we can support your efforts!