One of the challenges for the business continuity manager is to get his or her colleagues to think about BCM too. People who remain unaware of business continuity plans and requirements, even in their simplest form, may be unable to continue their work when an incident or a problem arises. So getting a minimum of mindshare from everyone is essential; getting staff to contribute constructively to improving business continuity is even better. How then might you set about making that happen, both effectively and inexpensively?
Fortunately, there is no shortage of possibilities. The list below is a summary drawn from suggestions from Jayne Howe, published on the website for business continuity awareness week (bcaw.info).
Provide Information
- Promote BC-related events in the near future through posters or emails, in a way that makes people curious to know more
- Ask local emergency responders (the Fire Service for example) to give presentations at lunchtime in the cafeteria.
Provide Training
- Make business continuity part of the training for new-hires
- Include business continuity training in employee training credits by recognising employee enrolment in free BC webinars on the Internet
- Train people who need to know how to interact with the media and relay the corporate message correctly.
Get Employees to Contribute
- Get employees who are also Red Cross (or similar) workers to provide training to others who are interested
- Ask employees for their suggestions about how to improve business continuity and offer modest prizes (BC t-shirts, for example)
- Participate in presentations or conferences related to business continuity.
Exercises, Drills and Other Incentives
- Visit the site of a business recovery provider. Because of the numbers involved, you may want to offer this to first to those most immediately involved in business continuity
- Evacuation drills and temporary simulation of being without resources (no phone, no office access for a morning, for example)
- Sponsoring of home emergency kits.
