When the going gets tough, do you look at your business continuity or bury your head in the sand? It sounds like an MBA candidate would ask a typical question before getting knocked out of the running for an industry-leading job. Though, that is not what I meant.
Business continuity is essential for any company, and businesses will benefit from implementing a few simple strategies.
Empower the IT Team
The IT team is the backbone of any business. It’s their job to keep the company running smoothly and efficiently.
And if you want your business to keep running smoothly and efficiently, you must ensure that your IT team has all the tools they need for success.
That means empowering them with information about the business’s needs and goals so they can develop strategies for meeting them. And it also means ensuring they have enough support from people in other departments so they can focus on their work without worrying about things like payroll, human resources issues or HR complaints.
If you don’t, your IT team will feel under-resourced and overwhelmed. This leads to frustration and resentment among employees who feel ignored or left out of important decisions in favour of other departments.
Maintain a Virtual Private Network (VPN)
A VPN is a secure connection that allows you to access your network anywhere. It’s beneficial if you’re the CEO of a small business with multiple offices around the country. You can use a VPN to connect your office computers to the company’s central server and share files and resources securely.
The VPN also encrypts all traffic, so if something goes wrong with one computer, it won’t affect other machines on the network.
Enable Secure Remote Access
Business continuity is about accessing your business from anywhere, but it’s also about ensuring that you can do so securely. Your users need to be able to access your applications and systems from any location on earth and any device. You’ll leave yourself vulnerable to potential threats if you cannot provide this.
The first step in providing secure remote access is enabling the appropriate connectivity options on your system. This will depend on the type of application and its requirements, but most designs are likely to have some kind of internet connectivity available. You may also want to consider adding a secondary connection if one fails or gets blocked by an attacker.
Employ Multi-Factor Authentication
Multi-factor authentication is a must for companies, especially businesses that offer sensitive data. Multi-factor authentication uses two or more methods to gain a system’s access. The most common method is something you know (e.g., password) and something you have (e.g., phone). Using something you are is also possible (e.g., fingerprint).
The benefits of multi-factor authentication are many:
- It makes it harder for hackers to take over your account if they get hold of your credentials or if they manage to steal them from somewhere on your computer or device.
- It reduces the risk of a data breach because only authorized users can access sensitive data while logged in to the system.
- It protects against phishing attacks, where attackers trick people into divulging their credentials by impersonating legitimate services or even pretending to be the victim themselves!
Use Cloud Solutions to Maintain Connectivity and Productivity
Cloud solutions can help you maintain connectivity and productivity even when the power is out.
Your business doesn’t have to worry about infrastructure or hardware maintenance with a cloud solution.
If there’s a problem with your network connection, it doesn’t matter because the cloud lets your employees access their files from anywhere in the world. And if there’s a problem with your computer or device, the cloud automatically lets you download the latest software updates and patches. You don’t have to wait for IT professionals to fix it — all you have to do is click “Update Now!”
Cloud solutions are also great for remote workers who need access to their company files from home or while travelling. A mobile application that allows you to access files from anywhere in the world is perfect for people who work from home or travel frequently, allowing them to continue working even if they can’t access their office computers.
Utilize Unified Communications
A business continuity plan that does not include unified communications is like a car without a steering wheel. It’s just not going to work.
Unified communications (UC) links different networks and systems into one network, allowing users to communicate with their internal and external business partners while operating in real-time.
This means that an employee working on an issue with one system can continue communicating with others while working on the problem. This results in increased productivity and better customer service.
To make this work, you need an integrated communication solution that you can access from any device. This can include Skype for Business, Microsoft Teams or Slack for Business.
Set up a Work-From-Home Policy and Procedure
The most critical aspect of business continuity is planning the day the business closes its doors. By having a plan, you can notify and prepare them, knowing what to do to ensure their safety and that of their families. The best way to ensure this is by setting up a policy and procedure for working from home during an emergency.
Employees should log into their company computer system and check in with their supervisor or manager. This will let them know what they are doing and why they are doing it so that no one remains in the dark about any changes or developments regarding their projects or assignments.
Suppose there are unforeseen circumstances, such as natural disasters or similar emergencies. In that case, employees should immediately contact their supervisor or manager to determine whether any changes are required to continue working from home on an emergency basis.
Ensure your Employees are Covered
It’s not just about your business. It’s about the people who work for you and what happens if their health care or income gets interrupted.
Employees can become critical to your business continuity plan because they may need to continue working when normal operations cease. For example, if there is a fire at your office building, employees will likely have to evacuate and return once the blaze is out.
Companies must ensure their employees have cover during a disaster and have insurance to be reimbursed for lost wages or medical expenses if needed.
Develop an Incident Management Plan
You need to create an incident management plan. This will ensure that you have an effective method of handling any issues that arise during the day-to-day running of your business.
To develop this plan, you will need to identify what events could affect your business and how these could impact the operation of your company. You can do this by asking yourself questions such as:
- What are the most common problems we encounter?
- How do these problems affect our business?
- What steps do we take when something goes wrong?
Once you have identified these types of issues, you will then be able to develop an incident management plan that can help you deal with any problems that may occur in the future.
Ensure Your Business Is Growing and on Standby!
This way, you will be able to keep your business running at full speed without having to break a sweat. Make sure you take care of these things, and your company will always run smoothly.