Our Readers Weigh In

Results of exclusive reader polls

In the weeks since Small Business Review began appearing in your mailbox, we have asked readers to participate in online polls—to help us understand what issues are most important to you and to guide our coverage going forward. In return for your help, we promised to share the results, which follow. Look for the newest poll, on retirement benefits, in this week’s eletter and on the website.

Are You Ready for Disaster?
A month after Hurricane Katrina hit, Small Business Review began polling its readers about their disaster-planning preparations. It turns out that you were evenly divided—just as many companies had plans in place as didn’t. Interestingly, the devastation in the Gulf appears not to have had a major impact on management when it comes to making new business continuity plans. (Note, where survey responses do not add up to 100%, some respondents did not answer).

Does your company have a disaster-recovery plan?

Yes 44.5%
No 45.5%
Don’t Know 11 %

Have the devastating hurricanes in the Gulf convinced your company to implement or upgrade business-continuity plans?

Yes 40%
No 51.8%
Don’t Know 7.3%

Have you worked with an insurance agent or other professional (IT consutant, business-continuity planner) to create a business-continuity plan?

Yes 34.5%
No 59.1%
Don’t Know 6.4%

Do you have remote backup for your computer data?

Yes 60.9
No 33.6
Don’t Know 1.8%

If an accident or natural disaster destroyed your palce of business, how soon coule you resume operations?

Within a week 45.5%
Within a month 21.8%
In Six Months 11.8%
Never 4.6%
Don’t Know 13.6%

How much have you spent on business-continuity planning?

Nothing 34.5%
Less than $1,000 29.1%
$1,000 to $5,000 17.3%
More than $5,000 6.4%
Don’t Know 9.1%

How Are You Coping With Healthcare Costs?
The second SBR poll was conducted in December and involved health care coverage. It turns out SBR readers are doing better than many small businesses in this area—nearly 60% of respondents offer coverage, vs. just 47% for all businesses with fewer than 50 employees nationwide.

Do you supply health insurance to your employees?

Yes 57.4%
No 42.6%

If you do not offer coverage, has a lack of healthcare benefits ever prevented you from hiring the best-qualified job applicant?

Yes 46.2%
No 34.6%
Don’t Know 19.2%

Did you formerly offer coverage and dropped it?

Yes 9.8%
No 88.5%

Have you ever postponed hiring or decide not to fill a position to avoid adding another employee to your plan

Yes 47.5%
No 52.5%

What remedies for the current healtcare funding situation do you favor?

High-deductible policies and health savings accounts 34.4%
Employer purchasing pools that would give small business the chance
to buy coverage at rates similar to those offered to large corporations 55.7%
A single-payer national insurance program 31.1%
Other* 4.9%

*write-in suggestions included a government-controlled medical system funded by federal taxes, a government subsidy for businesses with fewer than 25 employees, and simply giving workers more money to purchase health coverage, in lieu of company-sponsored plans.