Q: I have great sympathy for the businesses which were battered by the floods, fires and cyclones in Australia this year. These things can happen to anyone, any time. What should I do to make my business disaster-proof?
A: Identify which data and applications are critical to your business, then ensure you have them backed up off-site. Cloud-based storage facilities are ideal as they are stored securely on the internet. Always keep your back up data off-site so if something does happen to your business, you can retrieve the information after the incident.
Develop a workplace continuity plan. After a natural disaster your employees may not be able to make it to work for days or even weeks. Consider what your employees require to do their job from another location. Access to company information, data and an e-mail system may be required. Again, cloud-based systems may be the best solution for easy access.
Prepare a disaster response strategy. Work with your team to develop an evacuation procedure, develop a plan to save any key assets and securing the worksite against any damage. This type of plan will have a huge impact on the personal safety of your staff and the survival of your business.
