What is your Monday morning plan?

What is your Monday morning plan?

As much of America and the world begins to shut down, what is your plan? Yesterday the CDC banned gatherings of more than 50 people in the United States for the next eight weeks. Companies are now telling employees to work from home (for those that can). Traditional gathering places like restaurants, places of worship, gyms, shopping areas and more are shuttered. We are closing down.

What is your Monday morning plan?

As this all sinks into our conscious, first of all remember our humanity. There are people in our communities who will deeply suffer in this pandemic. How can we support each other in this very difficult time? Shopping for an elderly neighbor, walking someone’s dog because they are ill or checking in on each other in old fashion ways like the phone are simple but powerful suggestions.

For all of my continuity colleagues around the world…our plans are about to be tested like never before. You likely never imagined a sustained event like this one. You must constantly be reevaluating what is critical and important. Your BIA is more like a guide now…somethings that you originally thought were important are likely to slide down on the list.

Availability of staff could become challenging as people get sick. Think of documentation of critical processes and cross training NOW! As staff become unavailable, we need to look to build bench strength – that includes you.

Holes in your plans? This is the time to fill them the best that you possibly can. Create virtual business groups to work on creative solutions to keep the business operational. Think completely outside the box. Many things you were working on are likely to be mothballed for now – pack them up in a way that they can be picked up again when we are on the other side and enacted more smoothly.

And what about jobs that can’t be done at home. This leads to the questions of compensation and benefits. How can your company support those who may not be able to work. The stress of no income or benefits likely weighs very heavy on the minds of many this morning.

As you start your Monday, please remember that we are all in this together. It will end, we will recover. Let us share ideas, support each other and carry on.

#emergencyresponders #emergencymanagement #riskmanagement #crisismanagement #crisiscommunications #socialmedia #businesscontinuity #publichealth #hospitals #infectiousdiseases #healthcare #pandemic #coronavirus #reputationbrand #emergencyservices #pandemicplan #situationalawareness #sars #crisis #who