Business continuity in the face of redundancies
2009 has already seen huge waves of redundancies within financial institutions, which pose many questions in terms of business continuity planning for both clients and vendors, according to Joe Sluys, Managing Director, Sentronex,
A business continuity plan (BCP) is, by its very nature, a detailed and in depth document designed to give a practical operational guide to the recovery of all areas and departments of a business in a disaster scenario. As a result, it should reference all departments within the business, as well as paying attention to the IT systems relied upon within the organisation. Whether being sold to competitors or wound up completely, teams and departments are beginning to disappear as a result of the economic climate. Coping with issues such as cash flow and staff morale have understandably become top priorities for most financial institutions. However, firms must also focus on what this means in operational terms, including Business Continuity Planning. A BCP can never be fully effective unless it mirrors precisely the evolution of the business. It is vital to ensure that whatever changes are being made to the company are also being reflected within the BCP.
All those in the Business Continuity industry will be familiar with the constant battle to stop BCPs being left to gather dust in back room filing cabinets and tested once in a blue moon. This is a different kind of fight. Financial institutions feeling the need to make redundancies, and therefore reduce the number of desks and services for DR is completely understandable in this economic climate. However, if this is not supported by very sturdy policies on how the reduced number of staff can cope in a disaster situation, the level of risk begins to soar.
Systems and controls for DR are often tasks held by one member within a team or department. Whether it is their responsibility, senior management or the IT department, these personnel more often than not do not have up to date documentation on the company's BC processes. Often thought of as a stale topic of conversation, the knowledge of BC processes is also rarely shared verbally within teams or departments. This can lead to a significant lack of wherewithal in a disaster situation when staff departures have occured. This can be applied not just to the BCP itself, but also the supporting documentation and the supplementary plans. It is vital that these procedures are on paper, well maintained, distributed and understood within the whole department. Otherwise the preparation of the BCP becomes a waste of time and resources.
On the flip side of this, businesses reducing their head count with an aim to reducing costs must pay close attention to the DR systems already in place, as this can result in further cost saving potential. All too commonly, businesses continue to pay for seats, IT systems and other Business Continuity infrastructure for departments that have long since been dissolved from within the business.
In these times of change, organisations need to make their BCPs as flexible as possible. In practical terms, this should mean having one core document for all staff, with additional sub sections available for key personnel. IT procedures are readily available to ensure the safekeeping of these additional documents, therefore quelling any security fears that might exist amongst amongst senior management.
In today's environment, it is more important than ever to ensure Business Continuity information is communicated effectively and that plans are regularly updated to reflect the true nature of the business. As businesses inevitably shrink in these turbulent times, it will become even more challenging to organise and maintain an effective BCP with less staff. A reduction in staff must, in Business Continuity terms, lead to an increased level of efficiency."
Joe Sluys, Managing Director, Sentronex, a supplier of IT services and managed business continuity solutions to SMEs www.sentronex.com
