So what should business owners be doing inside their business to make sure they have the best chance of continuing operations should disaster strike?
We work with our clients to systemise their business processes and create a paperless office. Whilst the primary benefit this affords is savings in time and money through efficiency gains, subsidiary benefits such as improved security of business information and effective business continuity strategies can prove just as valuable in times when the ability to continue business operations is threatened. We suggest three key strategies to make sure your business isn’t interrupted in the event of natural disaster.
Strategy 1: Centralise your business records and information
Information created, received and maintained within a business – whether in the form of documents, emails, customer databases, etc – should all be saved in the one centralised location, to which all staff have access. To effectively do this, businesses need to invest in software – typically referred to as document management software – which fits the particular needs of their business. The software program must allow all staff to access the records and information which are centrally saved on the system, and it must integrate with your business’s email system so that all emails sent and received are captured and stored in the one central location.
Importantly, there needs to be discipline enforced within the business – in the form of effective processes – to make sure that staff are using the software in the right way by saving and storing all business records and information in the centralised system. This involves minimising the amount of paper used and stored within the business – businesses relying on paper records are far more vulnerable than those who operate solely on the basis of electronic records.
Why is this centralisation of business records so important? Well, if you have documents and information stored separately on individual staff members’ hard drives or in paper filing cabinets, and you are prevented from accessing these hard drives or filing cabinets, how are you going to access the documents and information you need to continue running your business?
Strategy 2: Mobilise staff
These days it is becoming increasingly common for businesses to have staff working remotely, whether this is due to flexible work policies or the way the business is structured. Technology is making this easier and more affordable to do. Smart business owners are realising that enabling their staff to work remotely is not just a result of the need to provide flexible working arrangements – it is a business imperative if they want their business to be able to continue operations in the event of disaster.
Remote working arrangements essentially involve staff being able to log in to the central business system in order to access the information or programs they need to carry out their work. Remote working arrangements will not be truly effective unless and until the business has centralised its records and information, as covered in Strategy 1. Assuming the centralised data storage location is adequately protected (see Strategy 3) and barring any interruption to internet connectivity, in the event of disaster all staff within the business should be able to carry on as usual with their daily tasks.
Strategy 3: Consider where your data is stored – and have a back-up
You need to consider the location of the server which houses your centralised software programs and your business records and information. Is it on your business premises? is it externally located?
You then need to ask yourself what would happen if this location was compromised, for example by flooding or fire – what kind of back-up system do you have in place and where is this located? There is not a simple answer to these questions – each business needs to determine what is best for them, given the location of their operations and the nature of their business. However, the primary determinant must always be the degree of protection over the integrity of the business data.
