Is Your Business Prepared for an Emergency?
Even small disruptions can affect normal operation of a business. Risks range from external factors (e.g. power outage or severe weather and flooding) or internal issues (e.g. technological failures or loss of key staff).
Business continuity is essential for planning ahead in the event of any disruption and making sure alternative arrangements are in place to enable recovery more smoothly and quickly.
Have you considered what your organisation would do if you lost any of the following:
- Key members of staff;
- Access to premises;
- Telecommunications or computer systems;
- Suppliers; or
- Financial transaction services
Are you prepared to respond to these sudden impacts? We have suggested below how to prepare for these risks and enable continuity and recovery in the event of a disruption.
Business Continuity Plan
A business continuity plan provides the framework for an organisation to recover in the event of any disruption to normal business. A business continuity plan provides guidance and contact details that would aid recovery following disruption.
When developing a business continuity plan, you should consider the following:
- What are your organisation’s most critical activities and what resources are essential for those activities?
- Consider all of the risks your organisation may face - what is the worst case scenario for each risk?
- What contingencies could be put in place to reduce the impact and protect your most important business functions?
- What needs to be in your plan? Have you thought about how you would evacuate your staff or communications?
- Have you considered what a long term response would involve? Can you access your systems or a safe alternative facility for your workers?
- Are your staff aware of what they have to do in the case of a disruption? Your plan can’t be considered valid until it has been tested.
Responding and Recovering
If you find yourself in the middle of an emergency, consider the following:
- Start a log of events, decisions and actions
- Activate your business continuity plan
- Staff - who are your key workers? What will they do?
- Premises – what safe location can you relocate to?
- Providers – what supplies do you need? Where can you get it from?
- Services and products - what is key to your business?
- Communications - public image and stakeholders
