What your business needs to know and how our team is here to help!
As recently experienced in Victoria, the likelihood of predicting a COVID-19 outbreak is extremely low and our state can be forced into lockdown within a matter of hours, therefore putting an emphasis on how the importance of pandemic planning has never been greater.
Prior to experiencing a pandemic, pandemic plans were designed for organisations to manage infections and keep our staff and customers safe. In Australia and New Zealand governments have provided ample health directions to aid business to manage infections with safety guidance and COVID-19 safe enforcements. What government does not supply is how to maintain your business operations and satisfy your customers when face to face delivery is limited, supply chains are disrupted and staff availability is threatened? A business continuity plan (BCP) supplies management methodologies of how to continue delivery through all interruptions, including pandemics.
Therefore, an essential element of pandemic planning is the development and implementation of a BCP as it is a way to protect your business from the consequences that may arise from the current pandemic. As we discussed in our earlier blog, a business continuity plan offers you and your employees a sense of direction and a feeling of safety and security, improving your daily efficiency. It enables your business to act quickly and effectively to sustain operations during such events as the reoccurring lockdowns and restrictions that are enforced by the government.
If your business has not already, now is a wonderful time to develop or update your BCP as you can decide what systems, processes and functions are critical in real-time, while it is at the forefront of your thinking. Understanding what must be done, when it must be done and what is needed to do it will ensure your business is better prepared for the next lockdown or restriction enforcement. As our main topic of discussion here is pandemic planning it is essential that when preparing or updating your BCP it is aligned with following specific government regulations and directions that are related to public health.
By updating or creating your pandemic preparedness plan now will allow your business to review the recent (current) lockdowns and determine what went well and note items for improvement (or not to do again). It also allows businesses to reflect on current work from home efficiency and understand how this can be enhanced to benefit the business. There is an opportunity to realistically appraise IT systems and workflows to see if there is adaptation needed for work from home purposes, customer contact, ordering etc. These factors should be documented into a response plan to ensure your business can continue operation through a future outbreak.
At Resilient Services we have noticed an increase in the number of businesses that are delaying meeting their compliance obligations during the pandemic and lockdown periods. Delaying compliance activities could threaten your business and operating license, attract heavy penalties as well as void insurance policies. Strategies and procedures to ensure your business remains compliant during an event such as a pandemic should also be documented into your plan.
Having a pandemic preparedness plan will give your business a competitive advantage over those who do not as it will give your business the tools it requires to sustain and recover through any event. Here at Resilient Services, our experienced team are ready to help your business be prepared for the next threat imposed by the pandemic by offering the following services:
- Identify critical services and functions
- Establish and assess service level agreements
- Identify legal and regulatory requirements
- Determine the required skills and specific requirements to perform the critical services and functions your business needs
- Prepare an action plan and
- Create, test, and monitor a business continuity plan
Industries that are offered a pandemic preparedness plan
We create business continuity plans for a variety of industries and hold specialised knowledge that allows us to tailor a plan to meet all your business’ specific requirements. We can construct a specialised plan to meet your needs whether your business is within:
Enquire for a pandemic preparedness plan now!
Our team of experienced risk analysts and emergency managers can help your organisation combat risks before they become a problem. Fill out an enquiry form or call us on 0439 005 271 to find out more and to see how we can help your business prepare for the unknown.
Resilient Services – Stronger, Smarter, More Secure