In recent years the weather that we have been seeing in the UK (and across the world) has become increasingly more unpredictable. Coupled with this, weather events have also become more extreme. Extreme and unpredictable weather can pose a significant risk to businesses of all sizes.
In particular, weather events can have a startling impact if, like the ‘Beast from the East’, they strike at a time when we are not expecting them. Starting in late February and continuing through to early March, it is rare that we expect or experience such low temperatures in the UK. It is thought that the ‘Beast from the East’ cost the UK economy £1billion a day.
What can businesses do to stay ahead of weather events?
Of course, it is not always possible to predict when weather events will strike. But it is important to think about the risks and the strategies you would employ if the worst should happen.
Being aware of the risks and factoring weather-related events into your risk management strategies is vital in today’s environment. It is thought that extreme weather events are only likely to increase in frequency so do not shy away from them as a business risk.
First of all, start with what you know – cold weather events are more likely to happen in the winter months, flooding is unfortunately a risk all year round and hot weather events are more common in the summer and can affect your employee’s safety and change consumer habits.
Do not box weather events into certain times of year. Appreciate that there is growing unpredictability and that your business must be ready to respond at any time.
Carry out a risk assessment to identify which weather events could really impact your business. Are you in a flood risk area for example? Could people reach your business premises in snow and icy conditions?
Giving thought to weather related events and how you would respond can aid your business recovery if you should be affected.
At First Recovery, we can support your business if you are impacted by a weather event. If your premises are affected, we can set you up in a temporary office location within 24 hours. We also offer all of our customers a disaster recovery planning tool so that you can plan for how you would respond if you were to be impacted by a weather event. If you have any questions about how we could support your business, get in touch with us today.