Why Business Continuity Awareness? Because time is not on your side!

Business Continuity Awareness Week (BCAW) begins March 19, with a theme about time. As the BCAW web site says, "No crisis improves with age." Time is not on your side in a crisis... this is why being prepared is so critical. If you can't handle a crisis or disruption successfully - and in a timely manner - your organization can suffer in ways you may not anticipate. This week's articles can help you improve your ability to respond.

There are a number of activities you can do in house during BCAW -- or anytime. (Item #1)   The two-sentence exercise could jump start your efforts. (Item #2)   You can't rely on a business continuity plan if your employees aren't aware of it. (Item #3)  

Does everyone who needs to know about your plan know about it? (Item #4)   Keep in mind that it's planning AND awareness... here's some help for both parts of the BC equation. (Item #5)   Read how Citi has made training and awareness a key part of its business continuity program. (Item #6)  

Finally, check out the BCAW web site for more news and activities: http://www.bcaw2012.com/

As always, we look forward to hearing your comments & insights regarding business continuity. If you have a topic you'd like us to cover, email me at [email protected].

Bob Mellinger, President
Attainium Corp

1. In-house BCAW

If you're wondering what you can do to observe BCAW, check out this list of suggestions from the BCAW web site that you can use internally - everything from raising awareness to conducting training to conducting external events.
http://www.bcaw2012.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=92&Itemid=108

2. The two-sentence exercise: simple and very effective

If someone told you that you could write a business continuity exercise for every plan and every team in your organization in the next three minutes, would you believe it? The outcomes from this type of exercise are many, including raising awareness of the plan, highlight gaps in and encourage review of the plan.
http://www.continuityinbusiness.com/2011/the-two-sentence-exercise/

3. Designing a Business Continuity Training Program to Maximize Value and Minimize Cost

Can management rely on a business continuity program if employees are unaware of their response and recovery strategies? No - and, as a result, the time and resources invested in the planning effort are wasted. A properly designed training and awareness program can bridge this gap and it can be developed and implemented in a cost-effective and efficient manner.
http://www.continuityinsights.com/sites/continuityinsights.com/files/legacyfiles/Training.pdf

4. Are Your Employees Educated and Ready?

It might appear obvious but business continuity plans are not very useful if your team is not aware of them. You might be thinking this is a ridiculous statement - but it does happen. Business continuity plans get created and approved but the education, training and awareness is not done to ensure that everyone impacted is up-to-date.
http://www.drj.com/user-blogs/drj-blogs/are-your-employees-educated-and-ready.html

5. DR/BC Planning and Employee Awareness

In the very distant past, disaster recovery planning was not something that you worried about (or even thought about). You took it for granted that someone was looking after 'that', or 'it' will take care of itself. No one lost any sleep over things like: loss of communications service or data files, building inaccessibility, and the like. These things just didn't happen. Welcome to the real world. Now, people not only lose sleep but could very well lose their jobs - over the very things once taken for granted.
http://www.drj.com/tools/model/drbc-planning-and-employee-awareness.html

6. Support BCM Training and Awareness: Read how these have become part of Citi's program

Business continuity planning is incorporated into all aspects of Citi's operational procedures and technologies. A key part of their business continuity strategy is dedicated, global professional training and awareness program. The training manager for the program tells how this came about and is carried out.
http://www.bcmnow.com/Winter2010pg5_files/StephanieJacksonNovDec%20(2).pdf