Continuity

Addressing change and continuity of business is vital to any size organization. Just like a business shouldn’t operate without insurance, operating without a change procedure or a business continuity plan is risky. This plan doesn’t always have to be complex, but it does need to be addressed.

What is Change and Continuity? This refers to two different business scenarios that are mitigated by the same solution – a solid, tested plan.

Change is any action that might alter the day-to-day operations of an organization, such as hiring or firing a new employee, changing owners, moving to a new location, or even starting a new shift. These actions are typical to operations, and many of them can quickly spiral out of control if not executed according to a plan, especially when technology is a factor. For example, a new hire needs access to computer systems right away in order to begin work, while someone departing the company must have their access promptly terminated.

Continuity, also known as Disaster Recovery, ensures that a business can continue operating under rare but extremely high-impact circumstances, such as a natural disaster, the loss of a key staff member, or even an economic downturn. By planning for these contingencies, the impact of a crisis on an organization may be marginalized, and could ensure the organization’s survival. Many of these plans are simple, such as isolating which technology costs can be cut during a tight fiscal period, or creating data copies at an off-site location in case a natural disaster destroys systems. In fact, 70% of businesses that suffer a serious data loss are unable to recover and are forced to close within 2 years (Source: DTI/PricewaterhouseCoopers Information Security Breaches Survey). With a continuity plan, issues such as this are avoided.

Etnacom’s strategic planning services can help you determine key change and continuity areas for your business and immediately implement procedures to mitigate the risks.