5 Key Components for a Business Continuity Strategy
Business continuity has been traditionally focused on planning failover and mission-critical
systems availability. But that is only one part. Organizations must take a holistic approach
encompassing both organizational measures and technology to minimize disruption, maintain
security, and support uninterrupted productivity.
No one can predict the next crisis, but you can be prepared. Epioz, along with Citrix, has
developed a five-step business strategy that will help you keep your business running without
disruption.
- Develop a clear decision-making hierarchy:
A good team structure lays out who is responsible for making decisions. This plan is
critical since all of your employees will need guidance and knowing who to call or look
up helps prevent further uncertainty.
What to do: Plan and test quarterly to ensure your plan is up to date and familiar to
everyone. - Keep your people safe:
We’re sure you’ve heard it a million times, but we’ll say it again: Your employees are
your most important asset. Any plan you create should prioritize their health and well-
being.
What to do: Conduct exercises to help develop and refine procedures that fit your
workforce, facilities, and locations. Once in place, include it in your new hire orientation
program and review it regularly with all employees. During a crisis, monitor peoples’
stress levels and make sure they are allowed time to sleep, eat, and relax. - Identify potential disruptions that can affect your locations
In order to have a strategic plan, you should determine which operations are most
essential, who will perform them, and how work will be redirected in case of an
emergency.
What to do: Rank your business processes in order of criticality, and map their
dependencies. Identify recovery strategies and costs around continuing each process. - Identify all stakeholders and recipients for emergency communications
To ensure a smooth response you have to create a communications plan to ensure clear,
consistent information for employees, customers, vendors, suppliers, and other
stakeholders.
What to do: Create a communications tool kit for all channels your organization uses to
communicate, including phone, email, and company website. Develop sample
emergency messages tailored to specific audiences and channels that can be updated
quickly during an actual event.
- Ensure your plan works and stays relevant over time
A good plan is as good as its relevance. Through ongoing testing, you can avoid having
to make ad-hoc or improvised decisions in the midst of a crisis.
What to do:
● Annually: Conduct full reviews of all plans and crisis communications testing
● Quarterly: Test mission-critical apps for business continuity and recoverability
● Biannually: Create exercises that “test” the plan and ensure employees are
prepared
It’s time to get your own unique plan going. To learn more about how to create an effective,
holistic business continuity strategy, speak to an expert today.
