Three focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Workplace Discussions. If you have office space, you want to make sure that it’s safe and resilient in terms of the elements and seasons. The following contributed post is entitled, How To Weatherproof Your Office Space.
* * *
The weather affects businesses in many ways ranging from employees, products, properties, and, more importantly, customers. Therefore, it is advisable to be prepared for adverse weather conditions, especially when 60% of small business owners admit to its negative effects on their operations. If you are serious about protecting your investment, it can be useful to consider these four best ways to weatherproof your small business.
1. Get insured
Insurance is useful for protecting your small business. A study has shown that one in every three businesses suffer hazards every year, although most businesses are underinsured or have none at all. By protecting from harm caused by flooding, fires, or damages due to a natural disaster, business insurance is necessary for securing your investment. There are different insurance and covers, so it would be best if you talked to your broker about the right insurance plan for your business. It is also worth noting that insurance prices can be higher depending on the risk factors in your business location.
2. Install roller shutters
Roller shutters can play a significant role in weatherproofing your business against extreme conditions. From fires to storms and tornadoes, having a robust guard can keep your goods and working teams safe and protected from devastating weather outside. For instance, strong winds can carry flying objects towards your windows, which is one of the common causes of property damage during extreme conditions. It is important to find shutters made from high-quality materials, designed with weather in mind to protect your small business. Fortunately, you can get tailored plantation and outdoor shutters for your particular business needs.
3. Earthquake proofing
According to Govcon, earthquakes cost the US approximately $4.4 billion each year. Therefore, it would be best to consider ways to protect your business against earthquakes. While an insurance cover is one of the easiest ways to protect against earthquake damages, you can call in the construction company to review your building structure, including its foundations, walls and upgrade with new tech to make your structure safe again. You may also prepare and communicate a response plan and secure your documents and files to guard against any ruins an earthquake will pose to your business.
4. Install lighting rods
Most businesses depend on electronics to run their operations. Although protecting your business against floods, burglary, and fire outbreaks is good, you cannot ignore other risks such as lightning strikes. It can be unfortunate to get to your workplace only to realize that your computers, communication systems, and other equipment are down after a storm. Consider installing lightning rods to disperse both direct and indirect strikes, use efficient surge protectors or arresters, or purchase a UPS system to keep your workplace gadgets safe. Likewise, it can also be useful to have a recovery plan if the worst happens.
It is essential to be proactive rather than reactive to secure your investment. The harsh weather can expose your small business to several risks and losses, so it will be best if you consider these tips to protect your small business.