Notes from the Payroll Prof
by Roger A. Smith, CPP & Payroll Consultant
Looking Ahead?
I love this time of year! Fall in Michigan means crisp autumn weather. Football games (high school, college, and pro). Fresh donuts and apple cider at the Cider Mill. Hayrides to the pumpkin patch. Acres of woods painted green, yellow, orange and bright red. It’s hard not to really enjoy these gorgeous days. The only problem with Fall, is what comes after it.
We know we can look ahead to falling temperatures. Ice storms. Snowstorms. Bitter cold and slushy thaws. Slippery roadways and walkways. And we can probably expect a power outage or two along the way. These things happen every year, and we try to plan for it. We buy our winter coats, snow shovels, and anti-freeze. Many of us have even acquired generators to keep the house warm during those cold winter power outages.
Yet, sadly, many employers are unprepared for events such as major ice storms, snowstorms, or power outages, which can make it difficult or impossible to carry on normal business processes. It’s not just here in Michigan, of course. Tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, fires, even terrorist attacks can cause businesses to shut down. Many never re-open.
A Business Continuity Plan is designed to allow an organization to continue functioning after (and ideally, during) a disaster. Does your organization have a Business Continuity Plan? Will you be able to pay your employees if your physical office cannot conduct business? If you have a plan, when was the last time it was updated? If you don’t have a plan, there is no excuse! Begin the planning process today!
There are dozens of methodologies and hundreds of consultants who can get you started.
A typical plan may contain:
- Risk Assessment
- Back-up & Recovery Processes
- Emergency Procedures
- Disaster Recovery Plan
- Business Recovery Plan
- Training Procedures
- Testing Procedures
- Plan Update Procedures
Of course, there is much detail that goes into each of the topics and you’ll want to find a methodology that works for your organization. You can search the web for “Business Continuity” and find an amazing array of resources.
You owe it to your employer, your customers, your suppliers, and yourself to make sure a disaster does not close down your department, or your business.
Have a great Autumn!
If you have any questions or comments, my email address is Roger.Smith@PayrollProf.com. |
