Preparing your Busines for Harsh Weather

Although Brampton is not in Ontario’s Snow Belt, we will get a few days when bad weather – freezing rain, heavy snowfall, or winds causing power outages – will deter customers, and employees, from coming to your business. Snow storms blow in with safety, logistical and HR challenges for every business owner. A well-thought out “severe weather policy” will balance safety, productivity and customer service issues, and combined with a strong communications plan for both customers and employees, will ensure everyone’s expectations are clear.

Write or update your inclement weather policy to explain what will happen in the event of serious weather emergencies. Are your customers local, so perhaps forgiving of weather interruptions? Does your insurance cover accidents on company property during inclement weather? Will employees struggle to make it in because of long commutes or parenting responsibilities (if schools are closed)? Your policy should include details like who determines the severity of the conditions and how closures (if decided) will be communicated. Are there Employment Standards (Ontario Ministry of Labour) that affect your operations? Address wage payment – is it vacation, lieu time or paid time? The verbiage shouldn’t be so weak that employees take the day off for a few flurries; nor should it risk life and limb.

How do you communicate a decision to close to employees and customers? In small businesses, it might be reasonable to have all employees’ home or mobile phone numbers. Texting, email, tweets or other web-based posts are other options. All employees should know where to look for messaging and must have access. If your business has a retail space or your company deals with clients on a daily basis, you'll want to identify a good way to notify customers that the business is closed. A sign on the door doesn’t help those who have trudged through the snow to get to you. Websites, outgoing phone messaging, tweets, email auto-reply could all help. Prescheduled appointments and deliveries can be contacted – if you take home these lists the night before “in case”.

Of course, working remotely is an option that is becoming more feasible so don’t forget to take home your laptop when severe weather is expected overnight. Tools like Skype and Google Docs can keep everyone connected from their home computers.

A final note - inclement weather is one of those issues that can raise strong feelings; for a small business with just a few employees, a team discussion in advance might be the best approach. Plan now to mitigate the risks and negative effects of harsh weather.

B.E.N. Will Help You Plan for Emergencies

Participate in the Business Emergency Network – a low cost, low demand, high results program that will prepare your business for continuous service during emergencies

The Business Emergency Network (B.E.N.) is a program that was created with the goal of increasing the ability of small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) in Brampton to survive through business disruptions. Businesses can do this by implementing business continuity plans into their organization. Business continuity planning involves identifying the key elements of the organization by understanding the vital functions and processes that are required to keep service and production going should a business disruption occur.

The B.E.N. was developed as a solution to the findings of a study that was conducted by the Brampton Emergency Measures Office, which surveyed whether or not SMEs had business continuity plans in place. The research revealed that over 95% of SMEs have no business continuity plans in place for the following reasons:
a) No money to devote to business continuity planning;
b) No time to devote to business continuity planning; and
c) No clear understanding of the subject matter.

Sound familiar? This is where the B.E.N. program is helpful. To lessen the above pressures, the B.E.N. can provide businesses with a Student Consultant for no cost. Emergency management and business continuity students volunteer along with business continuity professionals to partner with a SME and conduct an assessment of the hazards and risks to which the SME is exposed. Once this is complete, the Student Consultant will then develop a unique business continuity plan for the SME he/she is consulting. Therefore, the B.E.N. reduces the pressure of ‘no money’ by providing the consulting service at no charge; and reduces the pressure of ‘no time’ and ‘no understanding,’ because the Student Consultant, with their knowledge and experience, will be conducting all the planning. After the business continuity plans are complete, the SME will be stronger and better prepared in the event of a business disruption.

Overall, the B.E.N. is a low cost, low demand, and high results program. The City of Brampton Emergency Measures Office encourages you to become involved to strengthen your business!

For more information, including how to participate, please contact Amanda Maula at the City of Brampton Emergency Measures Office: amanda.maula@brampton.ca 905.874.3979