The best way to get on the road to recovery when a disaster strikes is to plan ahead. When you and your employees know exactly what to do before, during and after a storm, flood or fire, getting back to work will be a breeze.

Communicating the steps of your plan is one of the most important parts of being prepared for anything. Your emergency plan should be practiced regularly, and every staff member should know what to do with little instruction.

Walk through your building once a month to remind yourself and your team where water shut-off valves and fire extinguishers are. Make sure everyone knows the fastest and safest exit routes from different areas of your building. Assign employees particular tasks to handle ahead of predicted disasters in order to best prepare your building.

After the major threat of a disaster is over, make sure your staff knows how they are expected to get back to work. If you are able to work remotely, ensure that secure networks and equipment are prepared. If you are planning on using an alternate location, your employees should know when and how to report for their duties.

The more you can communicate with your team throughout the entire process, the better. Use multiple communication sources, as some disasters can take out networks long-term.