Is your company positioned to move forward when the economy is in recovery? Or will you be in the back of the pack trying to catch your breath? It may seem like an unusual time to be asking these questions, given the current economic climate. But these are exactly the questions you should be asking yourself so you aren't sitting on the sidelines watching your competitors fly by.

The past year and a half has been difficult for most organizations. Companies have been forced to make drastic cuts to shield themselves from the impact of this recession. The landscape of the workplace, as we've known it, has changed forever.

Here are five things you should be doing now to get your organization in shape for the recovery:

Survey the premises for damage
The first step in preparing for the recovery is to survey for damage. Look at the areas that have been impacted by this economic storm and ask the following questions:

• What should we be doing right now to retain our talent?
• What jobs will we need to fill the moment we see signs of recovery?
• How long will it take to fill these positions?
• What needs to be done to update our recruitment strategy?
• How will we assimilate all these new hires into the organization?
• Does our orientation/onboarding program need a facelift?
• Do our current managers have the necessary skills to propel the organization forward in a recovery?
• What type of executive development should we be offering the leaders of our organization?
• What do our employees really think about working for our organization?
• When we move forward, will any of our employees be following us?
• What can be done to rebuild trust in the organization?

It's never easy to take a hard look at the long road ahead. But that is exactly what must be done to prepare for the journey forward.