We are in the age of COVID-19, where you don’t know if you’re going to be in business one week, and out of it, the next. Business continuity is a planning process, which takes into account very bizarre and sometimes predictive circumstances which can allow your business to adapt to these situations. It implements systems which prevent the loss of data, money, reputation and confidence in your business. These ongoing tasks have to be updated all the time, which is something your risk management and business admin professionals should be doing. But if you don’t have these kinds of employees, here’s what any small or micro business owner can do instead.
Work with a BC Company
Business continuity is complex, as you would expect. So, working with a company that knows how to plan and react to such events that could cost your business time and money, is important. You can easily find more details about the sorts of things you will be covered for. Everything from data backup services, to disaster recovery, is right at your fingertips. Backing up data is important for the following reasons.
- In the event of a systems crash, you won’t lose precious consumer data
- Employees can continue to work, where they left off in the event of a power cut
- Your reputation is not damaged by data being leaked or lost completely
Disaster recovery is vital because sometimes your data is fine, but your systems are not. Your data is resting on the cloud, but if your networks need to be reset, firewalls made stronger and passwords reset, you need this feature.
When You Lose Employees
How can a business continue as normal, when it has lost some employees? Maybe the worst has happened and they have died from COVID-19, or maybe they are sick and unable to fulfill their duties. Whatever the case, being able to merge roles and or spread the responsibilities of those missing in action, is so crucial to business continuity. But how do you design a plan around this rather unique situation?
- Manager meeting: The managers will know which employee can handle more workload, so let them choose who gets it.
- Be able to push back a deadline, but still be within the overall deadline for the client.
- Have a fast-track training regimen you can activate, to bring employees up to speed on the software they have not used before.
- Be willing to promote employees to manager status, to take over the role completely.
Remote Working
What if there’s a fire in the building and the machines are destroyed? What if the internet cuts out? What if you can’t go into the office because of the virus? Working from home for every single employee is not part and parcel of your business continuity plan. At least, it should be. Engage with every employee through your manager and ask employees what they need in order to set up their home office? Help them with information about machine requirements, systems safety and communications while working from home.
This new and challenging world is unrelenting in it’s changing stripes. You have to be adept at adapting and be ready with your business continuity plan, if you wish to minimize losses and remain in business, long-term.
