Preparing your business for a coronavirus outbreak isn’t as simple as getting sanitizer wipes for the conference room keyboard (although you should consider it). There is an increasing potential that cities will be shut down for weeks on end to reduce the spread of coronavirus. You might be stocking up on food and basic necessities personally, but have you thought about the potential impact to your office’s operations? Keep reading to learn how preparing your office’s IT systems and having the right IT plans in place can protect your team members and business operations from the impact of coronavirus.

One of the best protection measures against contracting the coronavirus is reducing exposure to other people. The leadership team might decide to have staff work remotely for everyone’s safety. Or, a government mandated quarantine for a coronavirus outbreak could limit your staff’s ability to come into the office for weeks at a time. This could be a major business operations issue if your office isn’t prepared.

Make sure your company’s Information Technology (IT) systems are ready to accommodate a shift to your entire staff working remotely before it becomes an urgent issue. The first step in preparing your office for coronavirus is makings sure everyone has the resources they need to work remotely including access to a computer, company files, email as well as business voicemails and physical documents. You should also have a plan on how to protect your business from the cybersecurity issues that can arise with staff working remotely. 

Another talking point is impacts to the supply chain. If your business will be growing or you are considering replacing equipment soon, it might make sense to order any new hardware earlier than you originally planned. Coronavirus could cause unexpected delays in the supply chain and advanced planning can save you a from a major headache a few months from now. If you have a server, especially if it is more than three years old, make sure you have a few spare drives just in case one goes out.

While coronavirus is top of mind right now, it isn’t the only disaster that could affect your business. Developing a solid IT plan and having the appropriate resources in place is the best way to prepare your business for the coronavirus as well as natural disasters, industry-specific issues and cybersecurity events and more. 

Onset Solutions’ service plans include consulting on IT planning and business security issues so please contact us to discuss your concerns. We are available to help prepare your business for coronavirus impacts and other disasters that can impact your business operations.