Highland County Health Department<br> Hillsboro, Ohio

Businesses work very hard to remain successful. An important part of remaining successful as a business is planning for interruptions in normal operations. These interruptions are not limited to terrorist attacks, but also include natural disasters, fire, computer failure, employee strike or illness, market collapse, and other circumstances that can be very damaging to business.

Small businesses tend to be even more venerable to interruptions in normal business atmospheres. Several resources have been developed by the American Red Cross, the US Department of Homeland Security, and other agencies to provide tools to business leaders in preparing for business continuity issues.

An investment in planning today will not only help protect your business investment and your livelihood, but will also support your employees, customers and stakeholders, the community, the local economy and even the country.

Employee Involvement

Communicating business continuity planning information to employees is vital for its effectiveness. Involve employees in the planning process, and be sure to share information with employees on business continuity issues. It is important that employees are familiar with company policies in various situations. For example, if a quarantine is issued, the health department may instruct large businesses to limit operations and employee contact. Do employees understand that they will not be penalized for following these quarantine issues?

Employees involvement in planning also encourages them to plan at home as well. If an employee knows that their family is prepared and supplied for a disaster, they will be more willing to leave them for work. In addition, employees in some businesses may be able to work effectively from home in some cases. These and other issues should be addressed.