The social and economic impacts of COVID-19 have battered small- and medium-sized enterprises, putting millions of jobs in the U.S. at risk.
And a year rife with natural disasters has not done the many already struggling businesses any favors.
To learn about the strategies and experiences of businesses managing this double threat, researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), in collaboration with NOAA’s Climate Program Office, surveyed small and medium-sized enterprises across the country. In a new report of survey results, nearly a quarter of businesses felt natural disaster preparations helped them address COVID-19. Preparations, like telework readiness, that are applicable to different types of disruptions tended to be more useful than disaster-specific measures. The survey also identified areas of hardship for businesses, including a sense of uncertainty and a lack of guidance and resources.
“The survey results can help by drawing attention to how small- and medium-sized businesses are thriving or suffering and showing where natural-disaster planning and preparation helped,” said Ariela Zycherman, NOAA social scientist with CPO’s Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments (RISA) Program and co-author of the report. “The results will also help us identify places where there are needs and opportunities to build social and economic resilience to multiple types of disasters.”
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