Disaster plans inadequate, claims report

Many
employers would struggle to care for their staff in the aftermath of a disaster, claims
research released last week.

The
Industrial Society survey shows that despite the effects of 11 September, only half of employers with disaster
planning strategies would be able to locate their staff should critical
business data be destroyed.

Only
four out of 10 organisations
have a strategy for dealing with all foreseeable disasters.

Furthermore,
over half of the 285 HR professionals admit that they have not undertaken a
crisis simulation, and more
than 40 per cent have never held pre-crisis training for all staff.

Only
16 per cent of firms have a staff hotline and a third have counselling support
services set up for employees,
claims the research.

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Theo
Blackwell, policy specialist at the Industrial Society, said, "The first
priority of any plan should be people. This means conciliation, communication
and rigorous co–ordination.
Since the terrorists attacks in the US, many organisations have revisited their policies and humanised
their approach to disaster management."

By Paul Nelson