In business, you are no doubt preparing your organisation to carry on as well as is possible – even if it is business as unusual. To help you keep your business on track, we have prepared 10 business continuity tips to help you lead your company through this tense time.
Take your time to analyse the situation, evaluate risks and prioritise next steps. And then execute.
Gain the attention of the right people at the right time. In an emergency, they need a structured plan, guidance and leadership.
Plan activities, plan task force members, plan communications and also plan a back-up plan, just in case.
Continuously involve management and C-level, update your teams regularly and secure ongoing customer information. Appoint a spokesperson. Listen carefully, hints and advice can come from everywhere.
The right people will make or break your task force. You need doers, innovators and strong leaders.
Do everything you can to help your customers; take care of them so they trust you – now and once everything is all over.
Make sure everyone is on the same page, educate employees on the changes in ways of working wherever they are, whatever their job is.
Once these times are over, laws and regulations will still be in-place and non-compliance will have consequences. Comply with policies and procedures while documenting decisions.
The focus of good crisis management is future strength. Be ready to thrive again. Define your recovery strategy and communicate it as strongly as you did during the tough times.
Make sure to go through the lessons learned, infuse them back into the business and better prepare for the future.
As you may have noticed, all of these have to do with processes; changing processes, processes to communicate, adapting processes to support the unknown. You have to analyse them; act on them; adapt them and achieve resilience.
Be effective. Be proactive. Be flexible. And above all, keep calm and carry on with your business continuity plans and execution.
