Winter 2016
Recent Activities
It has been a long time since I posted something to my blog and I apologize. I have been very busy with building my practice in emergency and continuity management. With all the attention to recent disasters around the world and the continuous severe weather conditions, it has brought organizations to their knees due to lack of planning around keeping their doors open. This is the reason that every single organization big or small needs to think about building a business continuity plan and tell their employees about it.
There are some simply steps to get started:
1. Make sure you have up-to-date contact lists of all your staff in several formats (e.g. hard copy, mobile storage device). A copy should be kept off primary site but in a safe and accessible location. When asking employees for this information, ensure you get the preferred method to contact but also alternate methods as well as emergency contact information.
2. Keep an up-to-date contact list of your key business partners and vendors. Again in several formats as indicated above and stored offsite.
3. Save your critical data on your computers daily (or more frequently if it changes often). Keep a backup copy offsite in a safe and accessible location.
4. Protect your vital hard copy of records and files. Consider keeping a backup copy offsite. For those onsite, store in a water-proof and fire-proof vault / filing cabinet.
5. Talk to your staff about emergency preparedness and what to do when there is an emergency either at workplace whether they are there when it happens or at home.
6. Consider posting emergency messaging to a toll free line and website to get information out to your employees and customers.
7. Discuss options for relocation of your business if the primary site is inaccessible for extended period of time. What would that take to rebuild? What are the key resources to do so? Can you talk to your critical vendors and business partners about recovery solutions or alternate arrangements for services and products?
These are just a few steps to consider. But don’t wait for a disaster to happen. Plan now.
Lisa will be teaching a DRI Canada BCLE-2000 (1 week course) on business continuity in Vancouver from May 30 – June 3, 2016. Please contact me directly as this is particular course is by invitation only. For more information about the course goto DRI Canada website