The pandemic and resulting lockdown has forced companies to perform a “gut check” with regards to their operations. While some businesses have met the so-called new normal with the confidence that comes with having planned ahead, others have struggled mightily, especially with regards to continuity.
Resilient organizations may have been affected by all the change that has occurred, but they have by and large adapted, finding ways to carry on as before. Restaurants have offered takeaway, retail stores have offered online ordering and curbside pickup, fitness studios have offered Zoom and YouTube classes, and schools have had teachers set up virtual classrooms.
Resilience – a company’s ability to adapt to all types of risks, from natural disasters to cyber-attacks and supply chain disruptions – is an important but often overlooked aspect of a companies strategy as reflected in their business continuity plan. Most continuity plans contain:
- Clearly defined roles for stakeholders answering any questions around who’s responsible for what during recovery operations.
- Clear instructions for a return to normal, with resources coordinated and properly employed to ensure tasks are completed in proper sequence.
- Plans for remote working capability and/or temporary office space
As businesses plot plan their re-entry into “full operations mode,” they must devote time and energy to evaluating their resilience. A major part of this evaluation should include honestly analyzing their continuity plan.
Has your road back to full operations been smooth or bumpy? Do you have a clear continuity plan in place, or are you just winging it?
It might seem a tall order — to focus on both “the new normal” and an as-yet unknown future. Your first step toward this dual vision can take place on July 9th, when ITWC CIO Jim Love and special guests Chris Beggs of TeraMach and Katrine Elllingsen of WMware come together for a discussion about the challenges companies are facing right now, and how businesses are adapting to the new realities as they work toward a brighter tomorrow.
In “Adapt to the new normal as you work toward tomorrow,” Love, Beggs and Ellingsen will survey the post-Covid landscape, look at the importance of a comprehensive and well-tested continuity plan, and assess some of the tools and technologies currently being used by organizations to support existing and new business requirements.
