Whether or not your business has to close down due to a pandemic or as a result of a claim there are steps you need to ensure a smooth reopening.

Create a Risk Management Plan

If you did not already have one in place, now is a good time to start.  A risk management plan will help you identify potential risks your business might face, outline the steps to take to avoid them and what to do if the worst happens. The plan should be written down, communicated to all employees and updated regularly to reflect the changes to your business.

Securing Operations

• Notify your insurance broker that your operations are resuming and make sure that your policy is updated to reflect your current operations
• Inspect and repair any damage to your property
• Inspect and repair any damage to machinery
• Advise any maintenance services of your reopening and any changes they need to make in their schedule as a result
• Communicate operational protocols, including new health & safety instructions, to your employees

Protect your Supply Chain

• Verify that your suppliers are able to restart deliveries and if so are they able to return to pre-closure levels
• Develop new partnerships with suppliers in case your existing supplier cannot return the same level
• Consider a partial reopening if your inventory is low and availability of supplies is in doubt

Cybersecurity Checkup

• Prolonged closures will likely mean that you will have to update or patch your software and operating systems
• Make sure you have backed-up all information from all devices that were used while working remotely
• Review the lists of users, what they have access to and from where they have access (at the office or remote)