Is there any certainty in business at the moment? COVID-19 has shown us how things can change in an instant. You may have been confident in your business continuity plan in the past, but the pandemic has shaken us all up. It’s a solid reminder to review our plans to get back to business quickly and seamlessly.
A good business continuity plan ensures maintained operations before and during unexpected disruptions. Generally, decision-makers strategise in advance to ride out:
- natural disasters
- man-made disasters
- national emergencies
- utility failures
- sabotage
- data breaches or cybersecurity attack
- theft
These could impact a system or network or prevent you accessing your location to get to your computers and important data.
Now, we also know that we should prepare for the effects of an international health pandemic!
Such business-centric planning considers all necessary elements of staying on track. Youโll look at physical premises and staffing, and hardware and software requirements.
Preparing for the Unexpected
A business continuity plan tries to anticipate the worst that could happen. The problem is that we can never know what the next bad thing might be.
You may not ever need to use your plan, but taking a โthese things happen to other businessesโ point of view could leave you in a serious lurch.
The COVID-19 crisis has also made things real for many businesses. Governments required organisations across industries, regardless of size, to migrate to remote work. Companies with business continuity plans in place responded with greater agility, whereas others were left scrambling.
Now, many countries are beginning to slowly reopen for business. Sure, there are constraints, but the idea is to get the global economy up and running. While youโre adapting, take some time to revise your business continuity plan.
Itโs better to get your decision-makers around a table (or in a virtual meeting) now, while things are calmer. Most people think more clearly when not in the midst of a crisis. So, be proactive. Plan now for the worst. You can weigh up options at leisure, pursuing many different ‘what ifs’ to determine the best plan of attack.
Look back at what worked and what didnโt during the COVID-19-related disruptions. This review can provide real insight into opportunities, and you’ll be even better prepared in the future.
Planning with an MSP Partner
Business continuity plans lay out how the business will move forward amidst disruption. Work with a managed services provider (MSP) to ensure your planning is comprehensive. Our IT experts can help enable remote work, set up security for remote workers, and develop a solid backup setup.
Give us a call on 0115 8220200. Put a business continuity plan in place, and be more confident youโre ready for whatever happens next.
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