In 2021, the U.S. recorded just shy of 1,400 tornadoes – which was up more than 300 from the previous year. Not only do severe weather events like this cause billions of dollars in damage and destruction, but they also leave tons of communities without power, internet, and other utilities.
Many people are then left picking up the pieces, creating a financial burden to quickly bounce back from a tornado; that’s not something every person can afford to do.
You may be thinking to yourself, “Okay, where do I come in as an employer?” The way we see it, you have excellent opportunities to show up for your employees and support them in the event of a tornado. Let’s break it down.
It’s an office. No, it’s a home
Today’s work environment gives employers and employees more flexibility than ever before, which comes with many benefits. For example, if you have a dispersed workforce, then a power outage in one area of the country won’t impact your whole workforce.
Now that most of your employees call their home their office, the emotional blow of the destruction caused by a tornado becomes more than your employees’ problem. It now become a stressor for you, the employer.
That’s because you have less input in risk-mitigation efforts and preparedness your employees take against natural disasters. It doesn’t matter if you maintain a safe, connected workplace when a large portion of your workforce operates from their residence.
With great flexibility comes great responsibility
Don’t fret because now you’re in a special spot to better support your workforce. Because you’re offering employees the opportunity to work from wherever or even take advantage of a hybrid model, you have the responsibility to outfit your team with ways to safeguard their financial resiliency and your business continuity by helping them recover fast from the effects of a tornado.
And, you don’t have to figure it out on your own because we’ve got your back. By doing some digging, we nailed down two major ways employers can bolster their distributed workforce by encouraging proactivity and taking disaster resiliency into their own hands.
Rolling disaster insurance to your employee benefit program
The fact is most American households aren’t ready to weather the storm of unexpected costs – especially after a tornado touches down. The Federal Reserve recently reported that more than a 25% of adults were either unable to pay their monthly bills or were one $400 financial setback away from being unable to pay them in full. And recovering from a tornado is more than $400. The typical price for tornado repairs can range anywhere from $4,600 to $17,000.
Instead of leaving your employees left to figure out how they’ll cover these costs, you can take the initiative and add a disaster insurance offering available as part of an employee benefit program. That way, your team can rebound faster from disasters like a tornado because they’ll have access to fast, flexible funds to protect their financial wellness.
Creating disaster plans in case a tornado hits
Not only is a disaster insurance benefit a great way to support your workforce, but you can also create inventive solutions that support employee financial resiliency and safeguard their productivity post-tornado.
Consider making options like temporary housing, backup power, and mobile hot spots available after disaster strikes so you can help their overall wellness and keep them plugged in.
By taking the steps to cover some of the stresses caused by tornadoes, you can meet the needs of your employees while maintaining mobility and connectivity.
With more tornadoes expected to hit the U.S. this year, no one is immune to their effects – not even your workforce. Instead of rolling the dice and hoping a tornado doesn’t disrupt your employees’ well-being, proactively help them before tornado season arrives. Not only will your employees appreciate that their home office is covered no matter what, they’ll also be thankful to work at company that’s invested in their financial resilience.