The Benefit of Business Continuity Management Planning

I first became aware of the benefit of business continuity management planning as part of my research in completing my doctoral study, into crises in organisations.

As soon as I finished my thesis and graduated, I started work on developing an inexpensive solution to allow small and medium enterprises to develop their own plans. The result was ContinuityCoach.com.

The power of having such a plan, to me was demonstrated effectively over the past 2 weeks. First, in the early stages of the Coronavirus outbreak, the plan was activated and each department within LMI did a trial of working from home on different days, to see if everything went as it should. Any problems were addressed, not at a time of stress but in the cold light of day.

Our CEO, Steve Manning, nor I had to do anything. It all happened automatically. This allowed us to focus on our meetings here in Europe, and not overly worry that things were not happening as they should back home.

Secondly, the plan called for Steve and I to self isolate upon our return to Australia. The decision, which was the right one, was made well in advance of me leaving for the trip, should something like this occur.

The Australian Government has since ordered this, but the fact that I had already made the decision, only reinforced to me that it was the right one.

LMI got a lot more out of the process of building a continuity management plan, than just having a plan. It made us focus on our business for a period and then do this regularly year on year. As with anything, the fact we took it seriously and had a documented and tested plan, is proving to be of great benefit at this time.

My hope is that we all get through the next period as unscathed as possible, and that more organisations embrace risk management, and business continuity management in particular.