Continuity Planning – It’s Never Too Late

Like anything else worth having, a continuity plan isn’t easy.  However, the most elegant, complex plan isn’t necessarily the best one.  Start simple, with a framework like the one below, and build on that.

1) Do you have a plan in place?

• If not … DON’T PANIC!  Action driven by panic can often be worse than no action.
• If so, when was it last tested? How thoroughly?

2) Have you conducted risk assessments?  What is the risk of a swine flu outbreak crippling your business (vs. other events, like a flood, tornado, or gas leak)?

3) Have you identified and prioritized your vital operations?  (Don’t leave out payroll and benefits, whatever you do!)

4) What’s your employee attendance policy?  “Come in unless you’re on your deathbed?”

• Do you have a telecommuting policy?
• How robust are your security policy and practices?
• How are your network and server capabilities (especially those you’ve outsourced)?

5) What is your chain of communication?

• How sure are you that your employees are getting the same information at the same time?  How about your contractors/outsourcers?  Are you keeping them informed?
• Are you able to keep your customers, suppliers, etc., in the loop?

6) Are your suppliers adequately covered? (That is, do they have a continuity plan?) Should you be worried about an interruption of supplies or services? Do you have a fall-back position?

7) Is your staff sufficiently cross-trained that you’ll be able to withstand a loss of 10, 25, or even 50 percent of your staff for weeks at a time?

8 ) What is the line of succession?  Who makes executive decisions if the chief executive is incapacitated for a period of time?

9) When the flu bug has passed, be thankful you weren’t hit much worse.  Then get started on a real continuity plan.

Periodically test every piece of the plan. A desktop or bench test is better than no test at all, but a “live” test of every function, department, and facility in your continuity plan is a must!  If it’s been three or more years since any part of your plan was tested under simulated “real-world” conditions, you need to put your continuity plan to the test now!