Is your business prepared for the unexpected?

While you might not be able to prevent some of these issues from occurring, a business continuity plan can ensure your business is not adversely affected, and it will help to get everything back to normal as quickly as possible if the worst was to happen. This will involve identifying the critical elements of your business, such as your systems, processes, property and people, and considering what contingency plans and recovery measures you need to put in place to get you back on track. 

 

For small businesses, it can be a very simple document with some key contact details and instructions. Larger or complex organisations require more detailed business continuity plans and more involvement from members of staff. Whatever the size of your business, I work on the principle of the four Cs – your continuity plan needs to be clear, coordinated, current and communicated! 

CLEAR: Start by identifying what equipment, property, systems and processes you rely on to deliver your business, including the location of your staff and being able to notify them in an emergency. That can include computers, servers, cloud-based systems, internet connection, website, emails, telephones, databases, records, digital and paper files, vehicles, supplies etc. If any of these were affected, do you have a way of continuing to deliver critical services? Think about compliance – if you are dealing with personal, financial or sensitive data, what measures are in place to protect this information? 

What about if something were to happen to you or key members of your team? Who is critical to the running of the business? Do you need to train anyone up to provide back-up support in the event of a crisis? Do you have access to the systems they use, or their contacts to keep the business running smoothly in their absence? 

COORDINATED: Critical to business continuity is ensuring someone is responsible for planning, monitoring and implementing the plan. Depending on the size of the business, this may mean allocating a number of key roles across different parts of the business, such as HR, IT, security etc. Responsibilities may include taking business-critical decisions, so they must have the authority to act in a crisis situation. 

CURRENT: Plans should be reviewed at least once a year and more regularly if you have a fast-moving business with frequent changes in technology, systems and staff. In the middle of a crisis, the last thing you need is out-of-date contact details or missing information. Updates also need to take account of new risks such as the growing threat of cyber crime, or positive advances in technology which can help protect your business. 

COMMUNICATED: Your business continuity plan is no use if you are the only person who knows about it! Make sure you share it with anyone who plays a role in critical parts of your business and ensure other members of staff are aware of contingencies such as emergency phone numbers, remote working locations and incident reporting procedures. If you are a sole trader, share your plan with someone you trust and make sure they know how to access critical systems and contact details if you are unable to do so. 

 

One of the best ways to ensure you have an effective business continuity plan is to test it. Large organisations often carry out mock incidents to ensure the recovery process works smoothly and to highlight any areas which need to be improved. Even small businesses can benefit from testing their plan from time to time, including involving people outside your business who may need to step in to support you or make decisions on your behalf. 

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