Recover from emergencies faster with this small business continuity toolkit

In an ideal world, all of us would be prepared for any disaster. Unfortunately, emergencies rarely happen when we expect. That’s where a business continuity plan comes in. These strategies help get your business back up and running as soon as possible after the unthinkable happens. But what do you do if you don't have a plan?

We all get caught by surprise now and then, but it’s not too late to think strategically and get your business back on track. If you’re not sure where to start, this small business continuity toolkit will help streamline your efforts. We’ve compiled all of the strategies and resources you need to assess your business’s needs, set your objectives, and apply for assistance.

If you’re on a tight timeline, click the links below to jump to where you are in the recovery process.

• What to do immediately
• What to do a few days later
• What to do long term

What to do immediately 

1. Check on your team

Your business is nothing without the people who keep it running. Depending on the type of disaster you’re facing, your colleagues might be in distress. 

Before you sketch out a strategic plan for your business, reach out and ensure that your colleagues (and their loved ones) are safe. Offer your support as the situation unfolds to ensure that no one is left isolated or possibly in danger. 

Finally, let everyone know which channels you will use to communicate moving forward. In cases where some communications systems might be compromised, it’s best to use all methods available to you—including text messages, email, phone calls, social media, Slack, and more. Distribute a list of personnel and emergency contacts to ensure everyone is safe and connected. 

2. Check on your facilities

Assuming it’s safe to go outside, confirm that all of your facilities and systems are secure and that operations can continue. Document all damage in writing and images, as well as any compromised systems, with the date and time. 

If needed, the FEMA Disaster Recovery Center Locator can help you find an accessible mobile office, where you can learn more about disaster assistance programs. You can also apply for FEMA assistance online.

What’s in your go bag?

If you’re evacuating in a hurry, make sure you’ve packed:

3. Check on your community

If you don’t already have a crisis communications plan in your small business continuity management toolkit, make a plan to keep your organization, your customers, and outside stakeholders appropriately up to date as things unfold.

From there, make a list of every external organization you rely on to keep things running smoothly, like suppliers and delivery services. Reach out to see how their team is doing and whether their operations can proceed without interruption. If your business sells products and runs into supply chain issues, you might need to create a supply continuity plan.

4. Monitor the situation

If the emergency that disrupted your business is ongoing, like a natural disaster, find a way to monitor it if possible. The more you know about what’s coming, the better you can prepare for it. If you don’t have the time or resources to track the situation yourself, find a team member, fellow small business owner, or loved one who has the bandwidth and ask them to keep you informed of new or upcoming developments.

5. Establish a task force

Chances are you can’t lead these recovery efforts alone, unless you’re a solo operation. You’ll want a team in place to help you gather information, discuss potential solutions, share updates, and manage the needs of both your team and outside stakeholders. 

Depending on the size of your organization and the extent of the damage, you might want to divide your disaster team into separate task forces—one for every major problem you need to solve. Make assignments based on aptitude: For instance, if you’re concerned about data recovery, select an appropriate manager from a related team to lead that effort. 

Establish a clear chain of command both within and outside the task force. Offer secondary contacts for big decisions to ensure that things keep moving, even if the usual appointed supervisor cannot be reached. In other words, make sure that everyone knows what they’re doing and who to check in with if they don’t.

6. Set a recovery time objective

A recovery time objective (RTO) is basically a deadline for your crisis response. Instead of setting an arbitrary date, ask yourself how long your business can stay out of operation before you incur serious consequences like financial penalties. From there, you can begin working on a realistic timeline.

7. Identify essential functions

Sudden disruptions can create long to-do lists, so it’s crucial to think strategically. Start by identifying the facilities and processes that you absolutely need in order to deliver your product or service and remain compliant with all regulations. That way, you can focus your recovery efforts accordingly.

The larger the organization, the more complex this process will be. Ask team leaders to identify critical functions within their departments and confirm that they have everything they need to complete their essential tasks. If they don’t, find out what resources they’re missing — from equipment to personnel to tech support. 

Finally, compile a list of all the problems you need to solve. This will be your roadmap in the days ahead. Keep written records of all of the information you gather about your business’s critical functions for future reference. 

8. Make a plan

Now that you’ve identified which systems have been compromised, you can start to think about where your energy will be best spent. Small business continuity plans are a little like triage: You probably have more problems than you can solve right now, so prioritize the efforts that will create the most impact.

Organize your problem-solving around the goal of getting back to business as usual as soon as possible. Each task force leader should come up with a couple proposed solutions to their assigned problem and present them to the group for discussion. From there, they can apply the feedback they receive from others in the group and submit a new proposal for final approval. If fast decisions must be made, they’re in charge of approvals. If they’re unavailable, the back-up contact takes point. 

Your recovery efforts should center the people that are most crucial to your business—from your employees to freelancers, and from customers to shareholders. When vetting each proposal, consider its potential effects from all possible angles to ensure that no one gets left behind. 

When time allows, consider how each initiative would affect a random group of colleagues and stakeholders. Would they all benefit equally? If not, try and revise your plans to be more inclusive. Once you’ve created a plan that suits your needs, write it all down to ensure consistency and accountability.

9. Contact your insurance

Whether you’re reporting damage or filing a business interruption claim, reach out to your insurance carrier as soon as possible. Not sure how to start? The Insurance Information Institute has created a helpful guide for filing disaster-related business insurance claims. 

Have your policy number ready and provide back-up contacts so that an adjuster can reach you as soon as possible to move the claims process along.

10. Apply for a disaster loan

Don’t wait until your insurance claim has been processed to apply for a disaster loan through the Small Business Administration (SBA). You are not required to accept the loan if approved, and the window to apply for these funds is often limited. 

SBA loans offer low interest rates and can cover physical damage to property and equipment, operating expenses, mitigation assistance (ie. efforts to prevent future damage), and staffing gaps resulting from employees on active-duty military leave. Check here to see if your business is eligible.

What to do a few days later

Now that you’ve got a plan to get your business back on track, take a step back and identify any gaps in what you’ve built so far.

1. Look after your team’s emotional wellness

Disasters aren’t just bad for business; these traumatic events can stir up complex emotions that, if left unattended, can leave long-lasting scars. 

Check in with your team as often as possible to ensure that everyone has the support they need. Look for signs of trauma and burnout and try to provide as much flexibility as possible during this transitional period. Below is a list of resources that can help:

• Ready.gov: “Coping with Disaster” outlines how to identify and manage signs of trauma.
• American Red Cross: “Recovering Emotionally After a Disaster” offers further support and includes a free, 24/7 hotline — 1-800-985-5990.
• National Center for PTSD: “Resources for Survivors and the Public Following Disaster and Mass Violence” offers trauma-informed self-care techniques; “PTSD Coach” website and mobile app; and primers on topics like trauma responses and triggers.
• The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 for acute emergencies, with a specific extension for veterans.

Further resources for employees with children:

• The National Child Traumatic Stress Network offers a suite of resources to help children and families navigate traumatic disasters and their aftermath. 
• Organizations including the CDC and Ready.gov provide guidelines to help children cope.
• The National Center for PTSD’s “PTSD Coach” app offers specific resources for families.
• The National Institute of Mental Health: “Helping Children and Adolescents Cope With Traumatic Events” identifies common trauma responses based on age and advises parents on how best to respond.

2. Secure further disaster assistance and emergency funding

If you’ve already applied for a disaster loan through the SBA but worry you might need further resources, a number of institutions could help make up the difference. 

• The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Disaster Help Desk collaborates with a number of providers, both national and local, and can provide one-on-one expert assistance and help you navigate the relief process.  
• DisasterAssistance.gov works with federal, tribal, state, local, and private-sector organizations to help disaster survivors identify and access the information, support, and services they need.
• Benefits.gov can help you navigate the government-assistance process, either through its “Benefit Finder” tool or searching by category.
• If FEMA has issued a disaster declaration for your locality, you might receive extra time for time-sensitive tasks like filing returns and paying taxes. IRS.gov: “Disaster assistance and emergency relief for individuals and businesses” can help you confirm whether or not your business qualifies.
• For local resources, check with your state’s attorney general’s office. 

3. Keep an eye out for fraudsters

None of us want to think that someone offering help might have bad intentions. Unfortunately, disasters and emergencies tend to draw out all kinds of scam artists. 

Disaster-related cons can include bad actors posing as federal employees and relief workers; tax scams; identity theft; fake charity efforts; fraudulent insurance claim submission; contractor fraud; investment grifts; and more. Protect yourself and your business by vetting any and all offers for help. 

Always remember, federal workers will never ask for money for home inspections, disaster assistance, or anything else. If a FEMA worker approaches you, ask to see their employee ID badge — even if they’re wearing a FEMA shirt or jacket. If you suspect fraudulent activity, report it to the FEMA Disaster Fraud Hotline (866-720-5721) or to the Federal Trade Commission. Consult these FEMA disaster guidelines for more information.

Further resources:

• IRS: “Recognize tax scams and fraud”
• Federal Trade Commission: “What To Know About Identity Theft”
• Federal Bureau of Investigations: “Charity and Disaster Fraud”
• Federal Communications Commission: “After Storms, Watch Out for Scams”
• FEMA: “Beware of Contractor Fraud: Go Local, Do Your Research”
• Investor.gov: “Investment Scams May Seek to Exploit Natural Disasters – Investor Alert”
• U.S. Department of Justice: “Tips on Avoiding Fraudulent Charitable Contribution Schemes”

What to do long-term

Once your business is back on track, take stock of what you’ve learned and use that information to plan for the future. Then, consider what resources you have to spare and look for ways to help your community recover.

1. Make a business resilience plan

While business continuity plans help us navigate a single event, business resilience plans are pre-emptive and promote long-term stability. If you don’t have a business resilience plan already, the best time to make one is now. 

To get started, identify all potential disruptions to your business, like natural disasters, system outages, cybersecurity breaches, and local emergencies. Does your business come with any specific risks? Consider those as well. Depending on your business size and classification, you might invest in threat monitoring and intelligence software to stay ahead of potential emergencies.

Next, conduct a risk assessment and business impact analysis for each contingency. Ask yourself how that event would impact your service providers, your facilities, your technological systems, and your employees’ ability to do their jobs. Assess which of these factors are most critical to your business so that your plans prioritize them accordingly.

From there, you can use steps five through eight in the “Do Immediately” section of this article to come up with business continuity plans for each scenario. If you’re a solopreneur, consult with industry peers to identify strategies or potential issues you might have overlooked. If you run a larger organization, work with team leaders to solidify buy-in and ensure that the plan works well for everyone. 

No matter how large or small your organization, run your plans by all external stakeholders to ensure everyone is on the same page when disaster strikes. Keep these operating procedures documented in a place where all relevant parties can access them. 

Further resources:

• SBA: “Business Resilience Guide: Reducing Risks and Building on Strengths”
• Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA): “Small Firm Business Continuity Plan Template”
• Ready.gov: “Emergency Plans”
• Ready.gov: “Toolkits”

2. Support your community

Widespread disasters can leave communities fragile and individuals isolated. If your business has the means, use your time, resources, and available funds to help those who might be struggling.

If you plan to donate money, avoid giving to anyone you don’t know. Sadly, scam artists often post fake donation pleas on crowdfunding sites. Instead, donate to well-known organizations. FEMA offers helpful guidelines for both volunteering and donating during disasters.

If you have funds to spare, reputable organizations include:

• American Red Cross
• United Way
• Samaritan’s Purse
• World Central Kitchen
• Convoy of Hope

If you’re a solo operation, consider using some of your downtime (or, if possible, taking a day off) to volunteer at a relief site, a local organization, or elsewhere. If you manage a team, you might even coordinate a group volunteer effort as a way to give back. 

Depending on your area of business, you might also leverage internal resources and your network to benefit the wider community. For instance: Do you run a website or social media channel with considerable traffic? Post donation links for reputable organizations. Does your team have expertise or equipment that could help others? Offer assistance pro bono or lend out supplies where they’re needed. 

In times of crisis, even small efforts can make a big difference. In moments like these, we all have the power to make the world a kinder, more supportive place.