Ep. 2 - What can cripple a BCDR plan?

Let's be real for a second, shall we?

In this day & age, with technology ever increasing & the risks around Cyber Security Attacks - heck, even staff misuse - a BCDR plan is essential.

Why? Well simply, because it can save you ￡￡￡￡￡￡￡￡￡￡'s if it's in place from both time, effort, hardware, software, wages (you get the drift). Or, $$$$$ for any of my non-UK readers out there ??

Yes I know, I could include every currency, but ?????♂?

Anyway, enough of the jibber jabber. Let's crack on with Episode 2 in Technology, Simplified - shall we?

In this instalment, we're looking at the 8 mistakes you need to look out for, when forming your BCDR plans.

The Basics

What does BCDR stand for?

Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery.

What does it mean exactly? Like, in simple terms?

Business Continuity means a document (or process) that outlines how a business will continue operating during an unplanned disruption in service.

Disaster Recovery is the method or procedures, in which you recover from an incident - and everything is back to normal.

Who does it apply to? Or, who needs to know?

Everyone......

Duh ?????♂? "cues Billie Ellish"

MISTAKE #1 - DISREGARDING YOUR EMPLOYEES ?????♀??????♀????????

Organizations who want to get back on track after an unexpected incident should focus on the needs of their employees when devising a BCP. Otherwise, they may be running serious safety risks. 

So, plan for every situation that can affect your employees during disruptions. The list includes emergency communication protocols, evacuation routes, and many other key details. In doing so, you’ll ensure your team has all they need to weather the storm. 

MISTAKE #2 - NOT CONSIDERING SMALL DETAILS ??

After creating a general BCP, many enterprises fail to think about specific details that ensure they can execute their plan. This is a huge mistake, as it can result in loss of data. 

The minor points you should incorporate into your BCP include logistical considerations, such as technology and medical aid support. 

Taking the smallest details into account can protect your data and even save your staff’s lives. Therefore, don’t leave the development to chance – go through the BCP regularly to make sure it’s effective and up to date. 

MISTAKE #3 - FAILURE TO SHOW YOUR STAFF HOW THE PLAN WORKS

While many leaders brood on downtime, they often fail to demonstrate to their team members how to execute the plan and minimize productivity decrease. 

As previously indicated, your employees are integral to the efficacy of your BCP. And the only way to perform their roles correctly is to become well-versed in the plan. 

To ensure this, explain how the staff should respond during crises. Tell them how to handle their clients if your systems go down. Don’t forget about the location and schedules that will be effective while the main office is off-limits. 

MISTAKE #4 - PRIORITISING OPERATIONAL CONTINUITY OVER TEAM SAFETY ??

When accidents occur, it’s understandable why business owners focus on assessing the effects on their business. Nevertheless, considering operational continuity only and neglecting your staff’s safety well-being can have dire consequences. 

Your people are crucial to executing your BCP appropriately, so check on them first. Data plans that nobody can facilitate are useless, regardless of their effectiveness. 

MISTAKE #5 - HAVING IMPROPER SOLUTIONS ??

Waiting for natural disasters to strike before establishing toll-free hotlines for your employees is a huge mistake.

Likewise, failure to set up data backups might render your systems useless in case of data breaches. 

If you have no proper technology to mitigate accidents, you could be exposing your business to higher risks, revenue loss, and prolonged downtime. 

MISTAKE #6 - ONLY ONE PERSON MANAGES THE PLAN

Developing a BCP all by yourself is possible, but it’s also more prone to error. A much better approach is to gather people across all your departments to account for all contingencies. Otherwise, you’ll restrict your team’s insight into all the processes and risks under your plan. 

Forming a BCP management team that involves multiple functions and departments offers a company-wide perspective to your planning.

This diversity can help resolve problems and streamline your strategy. 

MISTAKE #7 - USING BROAD GENERALIZATIONS ????????

Continuity plans with broad generalizations often lead to uncertainty and confusion. A BCP needs to be concise and, if possible, explain each detail in short steps.

Such forms enable anyone to understand the directions and visualize their roles. 

MISTAKE #8 - SKIPPING RISK ASSESSMENT ??

Look, I don't like them. You might not like them. But, we have to do them.

Risk assessments are a critical step that must take place before developing your BCP. As the name suggests, they can you help discover the potential risks in your area. 

Depending on the size of your organization, location, and activities, your company faces different risks. For example, there’s no need to plan for disaster recovery after a hurricane if your region isn’t prone to them. It would only increase your costs and waste time. 

And there we go ??

So look, BCDR plans, BCP documentation, formalising a strategy - they're not all that bad.

Trust me, there's plenty of templates out there - but don't just rely on them...

Add your own twist ??

Or, if you want some advice, or just a friendly chat, then give me a ?? or ping me a ??