Once the test has suggested that it is feasible and easy to follow, you should review the plan with everyone including your employees. You should assign responsibilities to people (which will be recorded on the plan) and talk them through it so they understand what needs to be done in every situation: always have at least two people who can do each task.
After the plan has been written, tested and reviewed, it should be approved by management and it will then become their responsibility to maintain and update the plan periodically (at least twice a year). Also when the plan is finished, you should immediately implement any actions that you have identified. This may be the search for temporary locations, making a back up of information, or anything that you have stated that needs to be done to prevent disaster or prepare for one.
Benefits of Planning Ahead
Reduces the need for decision making when disaster happens
Gives you confidence that your business can continue after a disaster
Guarantees the availability of stand-by systems
Provides you with a back-up of information and documents if the original is destroyed
Reduces the risk of human disaster
Makes you aware of those things that can be insured against disaster
Improves your ability as a manager
Commercial Insurance
Beyond doubt, commercial insurance should be the bed-rock of your disaster recovery plan. A visit to a commercial insurer is a must: however, most would be happy to visit you and provide you with a break-down of your insurance needs. Knowing what to do in a disaster is a poor second to not having the capability to make it happen.
Disaster Prevention & Recovery Plan
(1) Identify and evaluate the potential level and areas of business disaster
(2) Identify the impact of a disaster
(3) Prioritize your business operations
(4) Formulate recovery strategies
(5) Test the plan
(6) Review and update every six-months
Summary
Disaster could happen at any time to your business and therefore it is important that more action is taken than just making back up copies of data and documentation. You should also write and implement a disaster prevention and recovery plan which will include the involvement of all the management staff and supervisors with the additional input of the employees. The aim of the plan is to provide you with security that your business won’t suffer from financial loss during the period of disaster and even to avoid business failure.
The plan should determine all those areas and functions that pose a high threat to disaster and those that will have the biggest level of impact should disaster strike. You should also identify those things that you regard as critical for your business to operate so that actions for dealing with each issue can be prioritised. Your plan should determine recovery strategies for each function with a view to every potential disaster that could happen. This may include stand-by systems and also alternative methods for the continued operation of your business. Further, you should revise ways of preventing human disasters.
The plan itself is a form of insurance (but will not replace an insurance policy) that will give you the confidence that your business can continue operating after a disaster. The effectiveness of the plan will relate to the way it is written in terms of being able to understand and follow. Consequently, the level at which actions will be integrated will too be determined by the quality. It is important that the plan is tested periodically to be sure that it remains feasible and that it is updated with every little change your business makes.
Article Index
1
Introduction2
Disaster prevention
3
Recovery strategies4 Benefits of preparing
