This is the second of three installments of our business resiliency best practices, addressing components of a post-crisis recovery. Part three will outline preparedness elements to have in place before a crisis. Part one offers guidance on responding to an active crisis.
Now that you have navigated your business through the crisis response checklist and the most acute challenges have begun to abate, it is time to implement a thoughtful “back to business” strategic plan.
Any crisis that threatens business continuity – cyber attack, global pandemic, natural disaster, etc. – will have a profound impact on business operations going forward. A strategic crisis recovery plan will position your organization to smoothly restore normal business operations.
CRISIS RECOVERY CHECKLIST
Lessons Learned | Codify your crisis management lessons learned into the Office Playbook, which establishes a Crisis Response Team team and outlines their responsibilities. This will bolster preparation for the next event.
Close the Loop | Provide a final report for your stakeholders outlining the incident resolution and preparedness goals moving forward. Transparency regarding the challenges and solutions builds trust.
Boost Employee Morale | As you transition to normal business operations, re-engage with your employees. Inexpensive and thoughtful incentives such as small gift cards, hand written notes, and other tokens of appreciation can be effective. Also, not everyone will recover at the same rate, so prepare to extend workplace benefits for a period of time after the event.
Address Insurance and/or Security Shortfalls | If you did not have adequate coverage for the incident (e.g. event cancellation, pandemic, or cyber insurance) take the time to procure coverage now. It is always less costly to be prepared.
Consider New Operating Procedures | Did your customers appreciate the additional communications? Did your staff thrive with more flexibility? Consider things that should become part of a new normal.
Prior to transitioning to normal business operations, your Crisis Response Team should convene to discuss your company’s crisis response, focusing on what can be done better to mitigate the effects of future business interruptions. Their experiences and insights are valuable to your organization’s resiliency.
Consult our guidelines for preparedness to ensure your organization is ready for the next business continuity crisis.
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