Get a read on risk.

Residents in coastal British Columbia experienced an unusual occurrence yesterday: a tsunami warning. A large earthquake struck about 250km off the coast of Alaska around 1:30am Pacific Time on Tuesday, January 23. Alaskan and B.C. residents were warned to move to higher ground in preparation of the wave that was feared to be on its way. Full CBC coverage of the event can be found here. 

Even if you don’t realize it, you’re probably employing some kind of risk management in your organization. Over time, you develop procedures to make sure things don’t go wrong and put plans in place to reduce organizational impact if they do.

Creating a risk management plan is simply about formalizing that process and being able to devote your resources more effectively. The first step in this process, and one of the most important, is identifying your risks.

You will need to make a list of all the specific risks that could impact your organization. This can be a daunting task, especially for new businesses that don’t have years of experience and history to rely on. Fortunately, there are some strategies you can turn to for help:

In a previous blog post, we discussed the importance of storing data and the value it can bring to any organization. Now, we’re going to talk about the next step in using data: analytics.

Analytics turn your data from useful to extremely effective and allow you to make changes that will benefit your organization as a whole. A survey by Deloitte found that 55% of organizations believe that analysis improves the organization's competitive position and 96% agree that it will continue to become more important over the next three years. Risk managers should utilize data analytics as they allow you to:

If your organization has a physical area where employees work or customers visit, you need to proactively manage the risk of slips, trips, and falls. If you’re not convinced of the severity of these incidents, check out these concerning statistics:

• Over 1,000,000 people annually need emergency medical care due to a slip or fall incident
• 67% of falls are due to slips and trips
• The average cost to defend a slip or fall claim is $50,000
• Hip fractures and traumatic brain injuries are most commonly caused by falls

Many companies do not keep claims information internally. They simply defer this record-keeping process to their insurance provider. However, there are several benefits to tracking this data in-house.

While it may be a bit of an adjustment at the start, you will quickly see a return on your investment as your risk management department and your organization as a whole benefits.