If you have a business – or want to open one – there are some things to remember. The main one is: it’s not going to be easy. Having good intentions and a will to do something is never enough – you need much more to make your business succeed. For instance, business continuity management is one of those things that are necessary but never simple.
Don’t worry, though – we’re here to help and make business continuity easier for you. The following article will save you energy, time, and even money, as you’ll learn about the five most common mistakes in business continuity management and how to avoid them, which means successful planning and fulfilling your company’s goals.
Ready to become an expert in business continuity planning? Read on to find out what you shouldn’t do when dealing with your company’s potential threats.
Doing Everything By Yourself
You may believe that you can find every single piece of information online. And sure, when baking a cheesecake, it’s probably true. However, when it comes to business continuity, it’s not that easy.
To find and understand all the necessary info, you need to spare a lot of time and energy – which you could have put into other business tasks. It may seem cheaper – but it really isn’t. So, don’t hesitate to seek help.
Whether it’s ADA or GDPR consultancy, talking to web-security experts, or going to a security company, you’re never losing money. Experts are experts because they know all the necessary information and can help you implement it in the fastest and easiest way possible.
Ignoring Human Risks
The other thing to remember is that you’re not alone in the company. You have employees – and they need to know what you do when it comes to business continuity management. And, more importantly, what they have to do. Whether it’s a power outage or a data breach, your employees are the first to encounter a problem. And they need to know how to resolve it – even if temporarily.
Train all your employees on what to do in case of any kind of emergency. Address the possible risks and, when writing the plan, make sure to take your employees into account.
Nevertheless, even if you train your staff, the human factor is always there. Make sure to remember about it – and troubleshoot whenever possible. Teach your employees about cybersecurity – not clicking strange links, creating strong passwords, etc.
Also, remember about having good communication with them – in such case, they won’t be afraid to consult you if something happens, and you’ll be sure that you’re in control.
Failing to Be Up-to-Date
Update your plan regularly, at least once a year. If your plan is older, it may not be enough to deal with recent malware and ransomware schemes. The risk is constantly changing, and if you’re not up-to-date, your company is vulnerable and unable to respond to a potential problem. Don’t leave everything at stake; update and make sure your business is protected.
Lacking Testing
You may have learned your plan by heart, and you may have explained to your employees what they have to do, but it doesn’t have any sense if you don’t practice. If your plan lacks exercises and testing, you may not be aware of the possible issues that can happen. We recommend using Pen testing services to harden security.
For example, do you know how fast your employees react in emergencies? Can they make important decisions under pressure? Will you yourself be able to deal with any disruption?
To avoid any problems, make sure to organize testing regularly. Use it several times a year to ensure you and your employees can efficiently deal with any issues and your plan is up-to-date.
Forgetting About Back-Ups
Even though you have implemented all the tips below, emergencies still can happen, and business disruption is often possible. To avoid losing the critical data, make sure to back it up regularly.
Do it once a week, or more often if your data changes frequently. Keep copies of everything on an external hard drive – just make sure it’s not plugged in when you’re using the computer. Otherwise, even the slightest mistake can make all the data disappear.
You can also use cloud storage. In such a case, you don’t need a physical medium, as everything is saved on a server run by a trustworthy hosting company.
Summary
You might think that only big corporations should use business continuity planning, but that’s not true. Cybercriminals are out there, and you never know when someone would try to exploit your business. To avoid possible attacks – protect data, ensure fast recovery, and correctly implement business continuity management strategies.
Fortunately, it’s not as challenging as it sounds. When you already have a plan, there are several essential things to remember – and you can make sure that your company is protected as fully as possible. Don’t hesitate to consult specialists, remember about the human factor and testing, and make sure everything is updated and backed up. In such a case, you can be sure your company’s data is safe and secure, allowing your business to thrive.
(Beata Hardzei)
